Chapter 11

I dared not look up. Not without being granted the permission too anyway. The salamander moved forward, eyes alight. I held my place, fear of what I was about to hear and hope of it, mingled in my heart. If our people returned, my duty would be complete. Would I become mortal again, or would I cease to be? Worse yet, what if I had to stay immortal? The thought scared me. Immortality would not have made my top ten things to achieve over the summer list that's for sure. But what would happen to the mortals and demigods now that it was clear at last that the time was nigh? There were no easy answers. Not anymore.

Jink, kneeling beside me, took my hand in his. He squeezed it briefly, and from his touch I drew confidence and strength. I stood and took a pace forward. "My Lady," I said haltingly, "from the demigods at Camp Half-Blood, I come bearing a question and a message."

She smiled. "Speak child, and I will listen."

"First, I bring you the regards of the demigods at Camp Half-Blood and of the gods of ancient Greece." I felt rather awkward saying this bit. It was true, however, I doubted whether or not the gods really cared as long as they remained alive and well.

Perhaps she was following the same line of thought, for her eyes were cold as stars as she stared somewhere past us, as if into another world. Then she nodded rather stiffly. "The world now is riddled with the gods. I am not surprised they would fear my rise again."

That was understandable. I mean, they were very biased against Gaia, their earth mother. However, Gaia was Greek. The Lady was something far more than, and as old as the world which was her life source. "We hail your return Lady Mother. May the sun, moon, and stars smile upon the day in which it was declared thus."

Again, a flash of smile. "Do not shower me with praises young one. I do not need them to know that my return is long overdue."

I replied, "The opening of the portal at long last allowed us to return to a changed world; and by that homecoming, we beg of you to answer us: Are we meant to be here, now and forever more?"

"You're people were the first to be and the first to fall. I spared the Fair Folk for the reason that it wasn't your time yet. It was cut short by the emergence of mankind, and I felt empowered to save you. The world is changed, yes, but there are parts of it that remain undisturbed and tranquil. The portal is open for your people to come back through, if you so desire."

I bowed deeply. "I thank thee with all my heart." I rose however, with a slight frown. "How shall thee proceed from here? The humans are used to the occupant of the gods by now. The transition shall have to be done gradually."

"Yes," she sighed rather sadly. "The earth is in much disarray. Amends will have to be made. If you wish to settle here, I must warn you, it shall have to be repaired. If it continues on its current rate to disaster, you shall with that you had chosen to stay behind."

I bowed my head. We had seen as much. "We understand, and shall do our best to out things to rights."

"Your best is all I ask for my child. Have no fear; all that is sick can be cured in time," she said kindly.

"Wait," Percy stepped forward, never taking his eyes off The Goddess. "What are you saying?"

"I say only that the time of the ancients return again. Do not fear child, you children of the gods are not forgotten." She smiled at Percy's surprised look. "Why do you look so stunned, little son of the sea god? Did you think that I would destroy your race to make way for the ones whom your people drove out of their world so many millennia ago? I am not like your gods." She turned to Annabeth. "What say you, daughter of wisdom?"

Annabeth bowed. "What shall happen to the gods when you rise to power once more?"

"I shant force them into exile or banish them to their own Tartarus. Their fate depends upon the mortals who worship them."

Annabeth nodded; no doubt trying to decide how best to interpret this.

"You aren't going to attack the gods then and challenge them for power?" Percy asked. He sounded almost disappointed.

She laughed at this. "What would there be to gain from such a thing as war?" she asked, "only the loss of innocent lives and wounded self-esteems. Nay son of the sea god, the gods of Olympus shall remain unchallenged." She turned to me again. "Your duty is almost complete. In the end you shall have peace, but when the final day comes and the battle between darkness and light comes, I shall call upon the again. Is my meaning understood?"

"Yes."

"Then it is time for you to return to the mortal world. The place where we stand is not part of this place at all, and will vanish the instant you leave. You shall find your people here when they emerge. I shall send you a sign, and make haste when it arrives."

Theo took a step forward. He did not bow, but neither did he in anyway show disrespect or anger as one would expect from a daemon. "My Lady, my brothers and I broke our pact with the Lord of Darkness and united ourselves with you. Will you let us return to the dimension where we came from in the beginning? Let us buy you time."

"You do realize," she replied, "that if you fail, you shall die forever. There is no afterlife for soulless ones."

"We understand," he said. "We've discussed this at great length between ourselves."

"Not with us you haven't," Jink said quietly.

Firedancer looked at him sadly. "It's our duty, reparations must be made. The guilt from so long ago sticks with us even 'till today."

Jink closed his eyes, but made no further protest.

"Come." Theo and his brothers stepped forward. For a moment, they were bathed in starry radiance. Then it was gone. Shadows closed upon them as their forms rippled and vanished. The Goddess looked at me. "Have courage young one. You will need it in times to come."

I've remembered her words even to this day. A bold heart is as important as mercy, love, and friendship. My people have returned. We walk amongst you. We are here to stay. You think we are here to save you. But what you don't realize is that you can't be saved. Our numbers remain steady and yours decrease. The balance is shifting. My day came and went. It's time for another to bear the burden now.