Surprise, I'm not quite dead yet. Sorry Nicole, guess you won't get that for Christmas. But jokes about obsessive Percabeth fans aside, I have still not given up on this story. Especially the encouraging and supportive messages I have received in recent months have helped me get back to this story to finish it.
I had planned to upload this new chapter at Christmas as some sort of present, but since I will lack the time to do so next week, you get this present a bit earlier. So have fun with this.
"And what now?" Thalia asked as she paced around in circles, ever impatient and ill-tempered.
Bianca wasn't sure what this girl was thinking, or if she was thinking at all, but she knew that the daughter of Zeus was quickly becoming her least favorite person. Scratch that, at this point, after only a few days in close proximity to the lightning child, she actually understood why her father still feels tempted to have her killed. Hell, she would kill Thalia, if only she could get away with it.
"We need to travel west, as I've told you before," Percy replied.
The son of Poseidon sat on a bench, his eyes focused on the map in his hand. He was surrounded by bus plans and flyers of several different car rental firms in the city. They had already crossed most of the country, but the last few hundred miles proved to be problematic. Time was of the essence now, but the shortest route would take them through Death Valley, a place notorious among demigods for its powerful monsters and the treachery of the few gods that would dare to set foot there.
"Just make up your damn mind, Jackson," Thalia growled, "We don't have time to sit around until you grow fat! Annabeth needs me and..."
"Athena's spawn doesn't matter to us," Percy replied simply. "Only Lady Artemis matters."
His tone was dismissive, but Bianca could see the slightest change in his expression when he talked about that girl. There was certainly some sort of his history there. Something that she was unaware of.
"You damn asshole," Thalia hollered, as she raised her fist to strike him.
Percy did nothing stop her from punching him, instead, he just ignored her, which incensed the daughter of Zeus even more. But she never managed to hit him. Clarisse was quick enough to interfere and push Thalia away, before her brother, Sherman, wrestled Thalia to the ground. Zoe, who had stayed a few feet away from the entire group, had her bow in her hands, a silver arrow already sitting on the string just in case.
"Just drop it, Thalia," Clarisse exclaimed.
"You damn traitors. I should have known better than to trust any of you. You've betrayed us all! You are no better than Artemis' dog and Jackson!"
"Shut up," Clarisse bellowed. "No one here gives a shit about Annabeth. The prophecy is only about saving Lady Artemis and no one else. And why would we risk our lives to save a lying thief?"
"How dare you say something like this about Annabeth. She is better than all of you combined. She..."
"She betrayed us. She left us to die and ran away with the goddamn Golden Fleece. And then she had the gall to lie and claim that she won it and that Percy and the others tried to steal it from her!" Clarisse yelled. "Do you know how I was welcomed back at camp when I returned from my own quest, which I had succeeded in no less? I was spat at. People didn't trust me anymore and no one but my own siblings would even talk to me. If it wasn't for my brothers and sisters I would have left that day and never looked back. But unlike your best friend I don't ditch family whenever it suits me."
Bianca wisely stepped away from the escalating situation, as she feared that any moment now the whole scene would explode. For a moment she wondered where Thalia's other companion had ended up. Now that Clarisse was openly siding with Percy, he was the only demigod from Camp Halfblood who was truly fighting for Olympus. To the daughter of Hades, this was very amusing to watch.
Then she spotted Malcolm. He was face down on the ground, that daughter of Apollo, whose name Bianca couldn't remember, kneeling on his back with a knife next to the boy's neck.
A long sigh escaped Percy, as he finally put away the map and stood up from the bench.
"Clarisse, Sherman, please let her go. The last thing we need is Zeus getting angry again because his daughter is an idiot," Percy said. "And we really don't want to get into trouble when some random people see us brawling in a Vegas alley. "The Mist around us is already clearing up, so we will be revealed soon enough."
"I can create some more," Bianca offered. It was an easy trick if one had the right teacher. Thanatos is a very effective teacher. Creating Mist to hide and mislead was almost a second nature to her now.
"And what about Malcolm," the daughter of Apollo asked.
"He can eat dirt for all I care," Percy replied darkly.
It was quite astounding to see Percy like this. Bianca knew that her cousin wasn't exactly happy to be on this quest. Not to mention that people he had to put up with because of it. But still, to see the amount of respect he received even from the usually man-hating leader of Artemis' Hunters is quite something else.
"It's alright, Bianca. We would only draw the attention of someone or something even more troublesome than mere mortals if we surround ourselves with this much Mist. But thanks," Percy told her, as he walked past her and towards Zoe.
Bianca followed him quickly, as the children of Ares hauled Thalia back on her feet before they pushed her away and followed their leader as well.
"So what now?" Bianca asked carefully, as she echoed Thalia's previous question.
"Now... now we get ourselves a car that can get us through the valley. Sherman has a license, so getting a car should be easy... with a bit of trickery," Percy explained.
Trickery... Bianca laughed when she heard that. There certainly was some mischievousness in the son of Poseidon that rivals that of Hermes' sons. They had little enough money on them to feed themselves on this trip, except for a big bag filled with Drachmas. But it somehow seemed unlikely that they could rent a car with Olympian currency. So they would have to get creative.
At times like these, she was quite unfortunate that her father forbade her to take other people through the shadows. Shadow travel was very convenient for her and it would turn a journey of days into one of the moments. But one of her father's most sacred laws was that only those of the shadows are allowed to make use of them and she dared not go behind his back. He had great plans for her. Master Thanatos had told her that. Her father had great plans... and she would face every challenge and surpass every enemy, just to make him proud.
"This ain't over, you damn assholes!" Thalia bellowed from behind.
Percy didn't look back, but he grumbled, "Just why do the gods punish me with a psycho like Thalia Grace?"
"Maybe you angered one of them?" Bianca supplied.
Kayla walked past them, laughing heartily as she heard this, "Just one? Our dear leader has the uncanny ability to piss off half of the Olympians just by breathing."
"It is my charm," Percy shrugged. "But soon this quest will be over and we will be rid of Zeus' daughter."
"And then we will go and help Will and the others," Kayla added. "Ariadne is still missing."
"Eos will pay for what she has done. When we reach Atlas' hideout, we will be close to the Titan Fortress. I will go there and I will confront the queen to demand that she stops Eos and frees our friend," Percy declared, "She owes me enough to do this for me."
"And if not?" Bianca dared to ask.
"Then we will go to war against anyone who stands between us and our friends and family. That is my vow," Percy said. "But speaking of family, Bianca."
"Huh?" she replied intelligently, surprised and unsure what he might want from her. As far as she cared Percy was the only direct family outside of the Underworld that she actually interested in being around. The rest are still distant lights who might only distract her from her real goal.
"Nico is still at Camp Halfblood," Percy told her, "We should really get him out of there before Lord Lightning Pants finds out about him."
"Who?" Bianca asked in reply, confused about this. She didn't know anyone called Nico. But by the way, Percy talks about this boy, he has to be someone special to her. Another sibling, maybe? But whose?
"Your little brother?" Percy asked carefully, "You know, the curious little guy who collects dolls and ruins every campfire singalong with his ceaseless questions? The boy you took care of for the better part of half a century inside the Lotus Casino. That Nico? Doesn't ring a bell?"
"I've got no idea what you are talking about," she replied, "I don't have any half-blood siblings left."
"This is so messed up," Percy mumbled, "Did you hit your head while training in the Underworld? Oh, wait, stupid question. Zoe nearly cut off your head not so long ago, so you clearly got some issues with your head..."
"Percy, I am perfectly fine. I could cut my throat here and now and I would not die."
"Please don't," he almost begged, as he looked at here in shock.
"Anyhow, I swear you that I have no memories of anyone called Nico. I don't have a brother. The only demigod family I've got left is you."
She surprised Percy when she followed up this declaration with a quick hug. Not waiting for any response from him, she skipped on ahead, unbothered by this supposed brother. There she joined up with Kayla, to help with the search for a car that would get them through the desert.
Percy just stood there, surprised by Bianca's words and actions. He only snapped out of it, when their way out of the alley got blocked by several cars. Military vehicles, by the looks of it, with guns and soldiers and all.
"Not again," Percy cursed, as he pushed past his friend and approached the cars.
The door of the Humvee at the center opened and a man stepped out. He was big, muscled and rather imposing. Bianca especially disliked the way he looked at Percy. But there was one odd thing about him. He was wearing shades that hid his eyes completely, but she was sure that she had seen flames behind the glasses.
"So we meet again, Jackson," the man exclaimed. "I hope you are ready for a fight."
"Father!" Clarisse and Sherman exclaimed in unison, as the realized who stood before them. He ignored them entirely. The god only cared about Percy, much to Clarisse's visible anger.
"I really don't have the time for games right now, Ares," Percy replied. "I am on a quest and the big boss does not tolerate tardiness."
"Ha, as if you've ever cared about what my father thinks," Ares replied mockingly.
It was obvious that Percy had some sort of special relationship with the god of war. Bianca had only heard rumors from some of the dead heroes she had trained with, that Lord Ares had summoned some of them in fights against a new hero he was training. Could it be that this hero is Percy? How curious.
"I'm on a quest, so you cannot interfere," Percy exclaimed with a frown on his face. "I will come back to you once I have the time to spare."
"No," Ares replied stoically, "We will fight. I know just the place where we can unwind and as it happens, that place is rather close to a certain mountain in the west." A feral grin spread on the god's lips, his bloodthirst almost palpable.
Was he really offering help in return for a fight? Everyone in their group seemed genuinely surprised by this offer. There had to be some trick. A catch or hidden trap.
"This better be worth it," Percy muttered.
"Are you questioning me, punk?"
"Always," Percy replied, as he pushed past Ares and entered the Humvee.
The war god grumbled angrily before he looked towards the rest of the group. His eyes rested on her for longer than Bianca was comfortable with before his eyes widened in surprise.
"You," he pointed at her, "And you," he pointed at Thalia next, "In my car, now!"
Bianca hesitated, but when Thalia began moving towards the car, she quickly hurried towards the vehicle herself. There was no way she would leave Percy alone with that mad girl.
"Girl Scouts in the front car," Ares bellowed towards Zoe and Kayla, "Clarisse, take your brother and Athena's abomination, you will take up the rear."
"Yes father," Clarisse exclaimed obediently. In Bianca's mind, the scene only lacked a proper uniform for the girl and a proper salute to help the daughter of the war god fit right in with Ares group of soldiers.
But Bianca didn't dwell on this for too long. Instead, she entered the car and sat down next Percy. Her friend was visibly agitated for some reason. Even more than usual.
"And what do you want from me now?" Percy asked the woman who sat opposite from him.
Dressed in the uniform of a high ranking officer sat the most beautiful woman Bianca had ever seen. Even Aunt Persephone, who was without a doubt a rare beauty in this world, could not measure up to this woman. And Percy obviously knew her as well... She should just stop being surprised that Percy knows almost all the gods personally...
"Why my dear, it would seem that you have forgotten my promise. I will reward you in any way I deem fit," the woman replied, a teasing smile on her pink lips.
"I really hate you, you know that, right?" Percy asked. "So what do you want now, Aphrodite?"
Deianira just stood there and watched. She watched the goddess she had once served suffer in stoic silence. It was almost impressive to behold. Artemis was without a doubt the most stubborn of the gods and would not give up. Not even in such a situation, where all hope is lost.
For a moment she considered telling the goddess about her Hunt. Or rather, that the Hunt no longer exists. In her absence, the curse that had kept all the girls trapped in eternal servitude had weakened enough for all of them to walk away. Most were still serving other factions, but it didn't matter. They finally made their own choices, which was all Deianira had ever wanted for them. Even if that meant that they would serve the likes of Percy Jackson and his unseen masters.
"You really are obsessed with that bitch, are you not?"
Deianira looked towards the side and spotted one of her fellow hunters. Lucia, the first to follow her into freedom. One who had served Artemis for more than two millennia.
"I just want to be there in that special moment when all her hope dies," Deianira replied, "I deserve this little moment of revenge after being a slave for so long."
"We all do," Lucia agreed softly, "We all do. But it does look bad when you just stand there all day. Some of the general's troops used her target practice yesterday. That was fun to watch for a while, but it grew boring after some time. She suffers, but she doesn't die."
Deianira shook her head, a look of disapproval on her face. "I never took you for a vindictive torturer, Lucia."
"I am not, thank you very much. But I have seen so many crimes committed by this goddess, I just can't help myself but wish to see her suffer. I have watched her sick little girls and animals on innocent men for crimes that they have never done. She has sent so many of our sisters to their deaths, often children not even ten winters old..." Lucia paused, shaking her head softly as if she tried to force some unhappy memory out of her head. "Not even her final death would be able to make up for all the suffering she has caused."
Deianira sighed and closed her eyes. She had seen some of the goddess' crimes herself. Once or twice she had even been forced to take part in Artemis' hunt for evil men. The goddess was little better than the Titans. But at least they would not hide behind the excuse of protecting the weak and innocent. All immortals, be they gods or titans, are irrevocably selfish and evil.
"Have you seen any of the others, Lucia?"
Lucia only shook her head, "Not really. I've been told that Atlas keeps Alana around somewhere, but I haven't seen her in weeks. Penny has left with Prometheus on some important mission and Sarah is on her own personal hunt for the Titan Koios."
"And what about Niall and Rhiannon?"
Lucia didn't answer. She only turned away from Deianira and shook her head. No words were needed to explain what had happened. They were dead. Either at the hands of their own allies or one of their countless enemies. All of them had known the risks and accepted them. All for the sake of revenge. That didn't stop the bitter feeling of being responsible for their deaths, though.
"Deia... I'm leaving today," Lucia announced, "I am so happy that I got to see you one more time before I have to go."
And in the end, she would be all alone again, Deianira realized. Her friends are either dead or gone and her allies aren't even worth the breath it takes to speak their names. One by one, the immortals would rob her of all her friends once again.
"Am I allowed to know where you are going?" she asked.
"Of course, silly, how else are you going to visit me. I'm going home to see what's left of my family. My sister and my grandfather are still around. Well, my aunt as well, but from I've heard, she has lost her mind after my dad had died. She's something of the dirty family secret we are not supposed to tell others about."
"Sometimes I forget that you are a Nymph, my friend. Must be nice to have a family to return to."
Lucia placed an arm around Deianira's shoulder and pulled her close, "You may have been mortal before the goddess picked you up, but you are now an immortal, just like the rest of us. So chin up and find yourself a new family. You have all the time in the world and you are free now."
"You make it sound so easy," Deianira sighed.
"Because it is. Right now you are either moping or angry. Just give up on those things that make you unhappy and learn to live again."
Live again... she doubted that she even knew how to do that. Not after all the time she had spent in the darkness. But Lucia's words did inspire her if only a little. Her friend had always been able to bring hope to the other hunters. Even Artemis' herself had often called Lucia the Light of Hunt. A shining beacon for the others. What a blow it must have been to rest of the Hunt when Lucia had left together with her...
"I have to go," Lucia said, as she finally pulled away from Deianira, "Live well, my friend. And don't forget to visit me. My home will always be open to you."
"Thank you, Lucia. I will come and see you... once this is over," Deianira vowed.
Lucia smiled brightly, her blue eyes sparkling, as she removed an errant strand of her golden hair from her face. "Don't lose yourself, my friend. Goodbye."
And then she was gone. Deianira was alone once again and the last of her friends was on her way to the faraway lands of her father. But she wasn't alone for long.
"Deianira, get over here, we are ready to march," one of Kronos' underlings called out to her.
The group of demigods had assembled around their master, who was still trapped in the mortal shell of the son of Hermes. Just looking at the possessed boy gave Deianira the creeps, but she wouldn't ever allow her dark master to know this. Every weakness would be exploited and she wasn't here to trade one slave master for another.
Together their group marched towards the black fortress on the nearby mountain. Othrys, the Titan's seat of power. Or what is left of it these days. The gods had razed the place and destroyed it at the end of the last Titanomachy. But just by the looks of it, someone had remained to rebuild the place.
A feeling of dread and impending doom overcame Deianira, as she stepped through the gigantic gates of the fortress. The black stone, smooth and polished, seemed to absorb all light and left the entire place in a state of perpetual darkness. Even though the sun was shining brightly outside, the light did not seem to reach into the corridors of this place.
She was the first in the group. The scout, or rather, the first to be sacrificed if need be. But she was nothing like those foolish servants of Kronos. Those demigods who only turned on their family out of spite and pettiness.
They arrived at the large gate that would lead into the throne room itself. The heart of Othrys was right in front of them, yet Kronos had them stop for a moment. Almost as if he himself was unsure whether it would be wise to face whatever was hiding behind this massive door.
"Open it," Kronos finally ordered his minions.
It actually took nearly all of them to push the door open just enough for a normal human to pass through. Two demigods with shields and swords were the first to storm through the gap, followed by the rest of the group. Deianira hesitated for a bit longer until she was suddenly alone with Kronos, who looked at her with a mocking smirk.
"Scared, little huntress?"
"I am not a stupid sheep like those other idiots. I don't charge into my death," she replied.
"Try not to get lost then, until you figure out what you are," Kronos told her, as he walked inside.
She followed, barely two steps behind the master.
Inside the large circular room, they found nothing. No one was there, but the empty thrones.
"Show yourself, Rhea!" Kronos exclaimed with a voice that seemed far too powerful for the mortal body he controls.
"As you wish," came the swift reply.
With a sudden flash of light, several of the thrones were suddenly occupied. But more than that, a hail of arrows rained down on Kronos' servants. Arrows silver and golden, some powerful enough to break even through the strongest defenses, while others barely reached their intended mark. Several of the demigods around her fell in this first onslaught, their bodies littered with arrows.
"Pah, as vengeful as I remember you, my disloyal wife," Kronos laughed loudly. "And I see that Lelantos and Asteria have found themselves some new servants as well."
Deianira's eyes widened when she saw the enemy on the other side of the room. There stood almost a hundred demigods, some with golden bows, some with weapons made of silver. It was the latter that held her attention. Hunters... some of Artemis' former servants, now in the service of Titans, just like her. Celyn, one of her former friends was now leading them as it seemed. She could see how the other huntress barked out orders to the ranks of demigod archers in front of the queen's throne.
"Big words for such a frail little frame," the Titan queen replied.
Queen Rhea sat on the throne directly opposite to the door, the seat of the Titan's leader. Regal and proud, in every way possible. There was an aura of power and authority unrivaled by any other, including Zeus, the current self-styled leader of the Olympian world.
"I have come to demand your allegiance, Rhea. You owe me your loyalty. As does the rest of you. Lelantos. Asteria. Pallas, you all are my servants!"
"We only serve our queen," Asteria spat back, "You are not worthy of us."
"Oh, my dearest niece, you are so wrong about that," Kronos replied darkly, "Submit now and I might be tempted to forget your insolence. Or else I will let your father deal with you, so he can teach you proper obedience."
"Fight your own wars, Kronos," the queen spoke calmly, no hint of emotions audible. "We will see if you are worthy in the end."
"Spite does no suit you, wife," Kronos exclaimed, "You would be well advised to..."
The obvious threat was cut short when a wave of power washed over the entire group. The Titan queen had risen from her throne and unleashed her godly powers. All the demigods in the room were forced to their knees, but Kronos, or rather his mortal body, collapsed into a boneless heap on the ground.
Rhea looked at the defeated host of her brother with absolute indifference before her eyes focused on Deianira, who had been the first back on her feet. "Take your trash and leave my presence. Dare not bring Kronos here again as long as he can be banished so easily. He is not worthy of us," Rhea declared.
"You've heard the queen," Deianira bellowed at Kronos' demigods, "Take the others and let's retreat for now."
Without Kronos, the demigods had seemed lost at first. Leaderless, uncontrolled. They looked almost grateful at Deianira when the senior huntress took command and obeyed readily.
She allowed herself only one last look at the Titan queen and Celyn. The other huntress had her bow ready, an arrow nocked and aimed at her. There was obviously no love lost and any friendship they might have had in the past had been destroyed the day she had left. She still sent the familiar salute of the hunters towards the girl, before she quickly followed Kronos' minions on their orderly retreat from the fortress. She did not see Celyn return the salute or the sad look on the other huntress' face.
"Is this really alright, dad?" Will asked as he watched the sea pass by beneath his father's chariot. "I thought the gods are not allowed to interfere."
Apollo laughed in amusement. His son had freaked out at first, when he woke up with a murder hangover, in the back seat of his father's chariot, which currently had the form of flying SUV. Will had been confused, especially when he saw Phoebe sleeping in the seat next to him.
"This is no quest, son, so don't worry. And I don't really care much for my father's stupid laws at the moment," Apollo replied simply. "Ariadne needs us and we have no time to waste."
"If you say so..." Will wasn't so sure that everything would be alright. But something about his father seemed off. It had always been obvious that Ariadne was kind of his favorite child. He could admit that much without losing himself to that green-eyed monster. He had grown up knowing that his father would not play a huge role in his life and he had come to terms with that. He had tons of awesome siblings to fill that gap. But when it comes to Ariadne, it was more than obvious that she had a completely different place in the sun god's life. At the very least, her presence meant that the rest of their siblings would get to see their father on an almost regular basis.
"But why didn't we bring Lee? Or that other huntress, Naomi?" It kind of spooked him that only Phoebe was here with him. That girl had some serious anger issues and he would rather not be within reach of her muscled arms and gorilla hands that could surely strangle him in a heartbeat.
"Lee needs to fix his car and Naomi... let's just say that she is following a different path for now."
"That's not ominous at all," Will muttered. "So where are we going?"
"C.C.'s Spa and Resort. Remember the place?"
"Oh no," Will's eyes widened. He had just thought about a green-eyed monster, but he really didn't want to see this particular woman again. "Please tell me we are just going to pick up Lou and leave immediately."
"Nope," Apollo replied with a laugh, "Circe will give us some much-needed answers. She is Eos' niece and apparently one of the few who Eos' still contacts on a regular basis."
"You know that Circe is a liar and a cheat? She nearly got Percy's sister killed just because she felt insulted," Will shot back, "Not to mention that she is really going to turn me into a pig and eat me or something like that."
"Relax, son, I will be there with you. If she tries anything, I will smite her with my awesome godly powers," Apollo assured him.
But even his father's words did nothing to reassure the boy. He was totally sure that Circe would do something to him. Her plan to get back at Percy had failed due to the interference of a Titan, so now she would surely try to get revenge.
But he had no time to ponder this for long, as the island with Circe's resort came into view. By the looks of it, all the damage from the pirate attack and Percy's fight with the infamous pirate captain had been repaired and the entire resort looked once more like a Caribbean island paradise.
Apollo landed his chariot at the harbor, the only place with enough open space for anything to land, actually. But it was also the place where Circe's had stationed the most of her shiny new guards. Cyclopes. Not just one, but three of them.
"Now look at, Circe has found herself some new idiots to boss around," Apollo commented, "Looks like Brontes, Arges, and Steropes got themselves a new job. Just how has Circe managed to ensnare those idiots?"
"Dad?"
"Yes, son?"
"You won't force me to fight against three cyclopes at once, right?"
Apollo seemed to consider this for a moment. "Not really, no. Not alone, at least."
The god suddenly grabbed Phoebe and threw her out of the chariot. "Look, there are three guys peeping on innocent girls," he exclaimed, as Phoebe woke up after landing on her ass. Like a rabid dog, she was immediately in attack mode and looked ready to fight.
"Great... now there are four people out there who want me dead," Will lamented.
"She doesn't want you dead. It's just Arti's teachings that tell her not to like you and Enyo's fiery spirit that compels her to attack anything with a pulse. Otherwise, she's a perfectly normal girl. First-rate daughter in law material."
"You are insane," Will exclaimed.
"And now it's your turn," Apollo said, as he grabbed his son and threw him at Phoebe. "Don't let the girl do all the heavy lifting. Be a gentleman. And don't worry, I'll be here to interfere when things get out of hand."
"Oh shit," Will cursed when he only narrowly managed to avoid getting crushed by Bronte's gigantic club. The ground shook as the weapon crashed down, leaving no doubt in Will's mind that one hit by this thing would be one too many.
Phoebe meanwhile was busy keeping the attention of the other two enemies. He could see that she was really angry for some reason or another and Steropes had to suffer the consequences of fighting against the angry daughter of Enyo. She had somehow tripped the huge Cyclops and was in the process of beating her enemies one eye into a pulp, while Arges tried to pry her off his brother. He almost felt sorry for the poor Cyclops, he knew well enough how hard Phoebe can punch.
"Enough of this idiocy!" A familiar voice exclaimed as everyone was suddenly lifted off the ground and started to float.
Will had expected Circe to make an appearance. Her magic was quite something according to the tales he had heard. Well, except you are some old pirate or some other magic immune being. But instead of Circe, it was Lou who walked towards them, clad in a white Grecian dress. Her only visible weapon, except for the staff in her hand, was a richly decorated dagger hanging from her belt. But she also looked different than he remembered. Prouder, stronger... and a good deal older...
"Hey, Lou, mind getting us down again? I'm really not meant for flying," Will said, as she finally stood close to him.
"What are you doing here, Will? None of you are allowed to return, remember?" Lou asked him.
"Mistress, we will remove them immediately!" Arges exclaimed, much to Will's astonishment. Lou ignored the Cyclops and luckily, all three of the one-eyed monsters were also floating around, so they couldn't really attack anyone.
"Looks who's risen up the ranks while we were busy," Will said. "But really, please let me down."
Lou sighed in obvious annoyance before she tapped the ground with her staff once again and reversed her spell. The three Cyclopes, as well as the two demigods, crashed to the ground.
"Mistress..."
"Leave, Arges. And take your brothers with you. I will deal with this intrusion."
The three Cyclopes quickly scrambled away, back into whatever cave they had crawled out of.
"Seriously, I don't understand why my sister puts up with those three miscreants. They haven't done anything useful since they got here, even though we gave them a gigantic forge to play around with," Lou exclaimed exasperatedly. "And you!"
"Me?" Will asked, a look of mock surprise on his face.
"You will leave, now! My sister doesn't know that you are here, yet, so there won't be any issues. But should she find out..."
It was in that moment that Apollo finally made his grand entrance. Lou looked a bit pale as she saw the god, but quickly regained her equilibrium and bowed deeply before the god.
"Lord Apollo, it is our honor to have you here in our humble Resort," she exclaimed, "How may I serve you?"
A complete change of heart in a single moment. Will was almost surprised Lou didn't suffer from whiplash after this.
"I am here to see Circe. Bring me to her immediately. And don't even think about any tricks or else there will be consequences," Apollo ordered sternly. "Your petty little parlor tricks don't work on me, so don't even think about trying anything, witch."
"Of course, milord," Lou replied. "Please follow me."
"You really don't like witches, huh?" Will asked his dad.
Apollo chuckled, "Give them an inch and they will take a mile and turn it into a death trap for everyone else. Never underestimate the devious nature of Hecate's daughters."
"And the sons?"
"Her sons are idiots, too. You stay here and watch the Chariot. I don't trust those three buffoons. They might try to disassemble it to find out how it works," Apollo said before he followed Lou.
Will was left alone with Phoebe. Who seemed much less bloodthirsty, but quite confused. Well, that was a feeling he shared.
"Where are we?" Phoebe demanded to know. "And where is Naomi? Answer me, boy!"
Apollo knew that he had done his son no favors by leaving him alone with Artemis' most belligerent little huntress. But his son was safer this way. Circe would try to use him as a bargaining chip, so it was better to leave him behind.
Lou Ellen, Hecate's exalted daughter walked through the resort with a swift pace. He had seen her power, he had felt it. Circe had played with dangerous powers to train her sister faster than normally possible. Only few would dare to play with the fabric of time. It was Kronos' domain of power an no one had dared to touch upon this power since he had been defeated. But it was obvious that Circe had invoked powers far beyond her own comprehension to prepare her sister for the eventual war.
"How many years have passed for you, little witch," he asked.
Lou halted for a moment, surprised by the question. She had obviously not expected that anyone would ask her this. "Ten... ten years. Though we can't be sure, my sister does not have full control over this kind of magic. Maybe less, maybe more. The latter is more likley, though..."
"There is a reason why only Kronos was able to use such powers at will," Apollo commented, "But even control over time did not grant him the ability to prevent his own downfall. All others who have attempted to usurp this power have destroyed themselves."
"We have been very careful with it," Lou replied, obviously indignant to admit that there was something her magic could not control. But that is, after all, a very common trait among the daughters of Hecate. Self-overestimation and self-destruction. It's one of the reasons why the Olympian council had decided long ago to keep all the children of magic under constant observation. To curtail their powers and destroy them if necessary.
Lou Ellen had been watched very closely because she had shown a great aptitude for her mother's gift even at a young age. That Percy had managed to get her away from Camp Half-blood and leave her with the one immortal sorceress that can teach the girl everything is a blunder that only showed once more that Olympus had lost its way. Back then Apollo hadn't been aware that Lou Ellen had been that particular daughter of Hecate, then again, Triton likely knew and ignore it anyways. And Zeus had been and still is too focused on the enemies that don't even exist, so he misses the truly dangerous events that might shatter the balance of power.
The young witch he saw now was still far from reaching or even realizing her full potential, but that didn't mean that she wasn't dangerous already. The tidbits Lou had revealed were enough to confirm that she and Circe had begun to imitate the powers of other gods, which made them extremely dangerous.
This mess was just another possible threat they would have to deal with...
Then again, who was he to judge the girl for seeking freedom and knowledge? He was an outcast, too. It was no longer his place to enforce the many senseless and cruel rules of Olympus. Maybe she wouldn't try to destroy the world or amuse herself by unleashing vast powers upon the unsuspecting. Percy likes her and he always had a talent for finding loyal friends in the unlikeliest places.
"Here we are," Lou said, as they arrived on a small terrace, overlooking the majority of the resort. "My sister will be with you shortly."
"How typical of her to keep me waiting," Apollo commented idly, as he sat down on a chair and enjoyed the view.
"Is there anything you would like? The servants can fetch you anything you desire," Lou said.
"Then tell them to find my daughter, that would be awesome," Apollo muttered. "Otherwise I'm golden."
"I see."
Circe arrived moments later, a deep frown on her face and a look of utter loathing in her green eyes. Even when she forced a pleasant smile and sat down across from him, that particular look remained in her eyes, showing her true feelings for all to see.
"Lord Apollo, such a wonderful surprise. Are you here to relax? We do mostly cater to female clients, but we can still offer you..."
"Enough, Circe. We both know that I am here for a different reason," Apollo interrupted her. "So let's just cut the chase and talk business then."
"Fine with me. So what do you want? Revenge for me tricking your champion?"
Apollo laughed mockingly as he heard this. "Percy is a big boy, he can get revenge on his own if he desires it." But knowing him, Percy had most likely already forgiven this slight. His sister and niece had not come to harm, despite Circe's attempts to kill them, so there was little reason for holding a grudge.
"Is that so," Circe replied. She visibly relaxed after hearing this and even allowed herself a small elated smiled. "So what can I help you with?"
"I'm on a hunt and my prey is a thieving little Titan who has taken something very valuable from me. I want it back, sooner rather than later."
"And who is the one who has wronged you?"
"Your dearest aunt, the Titan Eos. She has kidnapped my daughter and by the Styx, should Ariadne die because of this, I will make Eos and anyone who helped her in this fade," Apollo vowed.
"I understand. But sadly I cannot help you here. I haven't seen her in recent years," Circe replied idly. "She and I had a falling out of sorts after I told her to finally accept that my father won't be coming back. She is kind of obsessed with her siblings."
Another dead end. Apollo wanted to yell in frustration but refrained from doing so in the presence of possible enemies.
"But I can think of a few places where she might be hiding..."
"And what do you want in return for this information?" Apollo demanded to know.
Everyone wants something. Everyone tries to barter and threaten. And in the end, no one gets what he wants because the gods don't trust each other's words without absolute proof.
"This is where I will take over, Master Apollo."
To the sun god's surprise, one of the Horae appeared. Eirene joined them on the balcony, looking as calm and serene as the last time he had seen her.
"You keep on surprising me, Lord Apollo. I had not known that you and Themis are close enough that she would allow you to command one of her precious daughters."
"I serve the great queen now, Lady Circe. And as part of that duty, she has sent me here to assist Master Apollo and you."
"Is that so? How very good of Queen Rhea," Circe was obviously surprised by this, but she tried her utmost to hide it. "So what does the queen offer me?"
"Freedom to teach your siblings and open your school. Queen Rhea is well aware that you had once desired to teach your magical abilities to other demigods, but Olympus ban on your magic and the slave-like status of Hecate's children has prevented that. If you swear your allegiance to our queen, you will be placed in charge of your siblings and your school."
That was a bad idea. A very bad idea. Apollo had no idea what his grandmother was planing here, but giving Circe this much power would inevitably end in chaos. But Queen Rhea was neither an idiot nor was she rash in her decisions. So what was the plan here? Would an oath alone keep the sorceress in check?
"We will have to discuss this offer in detail," Circe replied, distrustful of the offer that sounded far too good to be true.
"But first you should show your goodwill by aiding Master Apollo in his search," Eirene said placidly.
Circe chuckled, amused by this demand. But she answered none the less, obviously intrigued by the great offer of the Titan Queen. "Right now I can only think of two places where Eos would be these days. The caves of Mount Latmus, where her sister Selene would spend many days with her beloved Endymion or Thrinacia, the island of Helios where his daughters keep watch over his flock of sheep to this very day. That's all I can give you."
"It will have to suffice," Apollo replied curtly. He felt kind of stupid for not thinking of these places before. Eos was obsessed with her siblings, so it was obvious that she would be drawn to places where her siblings' presence had been the strongest. "I will take my leave now. I have a daughter to find."
"Very well, Master Apollo, I will remain and finish the negotiation on the queen's behalf," Eirene replied with a pleasant smile. Nothing ever seemed to worry this girl, not even the prospect of being alone with the wicked sorceress Circe.
"Lou, you will go with Lord Apollo. As a show of good faith," Circe ordered her sister.
"As you wish, sister," Lou replied without complaint. "I will do you proud."
"I know," Circe said simply. "Show the world why the children of Hecate are the most powerful of all. Go forth and be Harbinger of Magic that we deserve. Show your siblings the way."
Apollo didn't mind bringing Lou along. Getting her away from Circe might even be a good thing in the long run. And he really wasn't in the mood to argue. He had to check the places where Helios and Selene had been. He had to find Ariadne! He was sure that this was the final puzzle piece he had been missing all this time. Soon he would have his daughter back.
A/N: And done. A much longer chapter this time. I hope you all liked it.
Percy's team is getting closer to their goal, but the closer they get, the greater the rift between the members loyal to Olympus and Othrys gets bigger by the moment. Make no mistake here, unlike Sherman, Clarisse has not joined the Titans, she still fights for Olympus. But that doesn't mean that she likes Thalia or puts up with her shit. Far from it. She likes Percy more than Thalia, but loyalty compels her to stand on her father's side.
Deianira is still around, caught between a rock and hard place. For her story arc, this chapter has introduced two new support characters. Two former huntresses, Celyn and Lucia. Only Lucia is more than meets the eye. A cookie for the one who finds out first who she really is.
And Lou Ellen is finally back. A bit changed, a whole lot more powerful. And yes, Lou is actually the third Harbinger and the only one who isn't a child of the Big Three. So we have Harbingers of Life (Thalia), Death (Bianca) and Lou (Magic). Lou's return will also show us the true folly of the sorceresses in ancient myths. Being around Circe for so long might not have been the best way to grow up after all.
And lastly the Cyclopes. Some might only know Arges, Brontes, and Steropes only from their recent appearances in a certain game, but their place in mythology is a peculiar one. I really don't want to ramble too much about them, but one thing about them is very important. These three are the creators of Zeus' Lightning, Poseidon's Trident and Hades' Helmet. Circe won their service by offering them a new forge and a place to hide from the eyes of Olympus and Othrys. And there had actually been seven Cyclops brothers at first, but Apollo killed the lesser four of them to avenge his son Asklepios.
This is all for now. Merry Christmas to all of you who celebrate and a prosperous new year. We will see each other much sooner in the new year.