Chapter 21-
Dionysus stood next to Persephone, watching as she nervously jumped up and down and shook out her arms. They stood a ways away from the crowd of gods, but they were still making her nervous and she glanced over at them every few seconds to be sure none of them were approaching.
"Alright." He clapped his hands, making her jump and turn towards him. The weather was warm and she had a t-shirt and breastplate on, with jeans and combat boots. "Run up the mountain and come back when you're tired." She stared at him in shock and he raised his eyebrow at her "I'm waiting." He motioned for her to go and she took off, racing up the hill and dodging old temples and pillars that had fallen.
Dionysus shook his head, walking back towards the gods with a soft smirk on his face. Zeus studied him for a moment before questioning what he'd done.
"She had too much energy and would've probably given us a heart attack with an accidental earthquake or worse," he paused and raised his eyebrows, looking up towards where the demigod was still racing upwards "A hurricane."
"That's the last thing we need." He declared, shaking his head as he also turned his gaze towards the mountain. Only he was watching the base. The doors of death were rumbling open slowly.
"Here we go." Zeus eyed the doors as his brother appeared beside him. "Are we making the right choice?" he questioned, glancing over at Hades.
"Yes, we are." Hades nodded and looked up towards the mountain "Looks like Persephone is having fun." Dionysus snorted as he heard his uncle, looking up towards the mountain.
"She's insane." Dionysus shook his head as the demigod raced down full speed, jumping from broken pillars and off short cliffs onto inch wide ledges. "And she's going to fall in three, two, one." Right on cue, Persephone missed her landing and tumbled downwards towards the base of the mountain. She hit pillar with her shoulder and bounced off it, coming off a cliff and flying through the air. The gods watched in horror as she landed before the doors of death with a sharp bang.
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"Well, that's one way to be welcomed back up into the fresh air." Percy opened her eyes to see Luke looking down at her with a wide smirk adorning his face.
"Well, I am that." He frowned as she continued "welcoming." He snorted and held out a hand, pulling her to her feet and brushing off her shoulders.
"It's going to be alright, little sis." He murmured, looking into her eyes. Percy tilted her head to watch him and Luke wrapped her in a hug.
"Why do you call me that?" she questioned as he pulled back, wrapping an arm around her as they began to walk towards the gods.
"What? Little sis?" he shrugged "That's what you are to me. A very dear to my heart sister." he shoved her away from him and she grinned, watching as he approached the gods with an uneasy expression.
"Good luck, brother!" she called, turning back towards the doors of death. Luke grinned as she said this and knelt before the gods.
"Persephone!" next out the door was Iapetus and Damason. Both of them gave her a warm hug and she grinned as they saluted her and took off after Luke. The voice though, had come from Rhea, who stepped out elegantly.
"Grandma!" Percy wrapped her arms around the lady and felt Rhea chuckle lightly.
"It's going to take time for me to get used to that." She murmured, looking down at Persephone. "How are you my dear?" Percy shrugged, eyes darkening as she remembered the past few months.
"I want to tell you that I'm going to be okay, but I honestly don't know." Rhea wrapped her in another hug as she said this.
"Thank you for your honesty, my dear." She murmured, letting go of her granddaughter slowly "You'll heal eventually. Everything will fit back into place."
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"Luke Castellan, you are to be granted eternity in Elysium, if you accept." Zeus declared, watching as his grandson grinned.
"I accept on one condition, my lord." He looked up and Zeus nodded "Permission to speak freely with a member of the council."
"Go ahead." They were all wondering what he was going to say and Luke stood, taking several steps forward until he faced the god of the sea.
"I want you to know that you made a horrible decision, keeping those two apart." Luke paused "I've seen the future, my lord. It needs to be changed or in a few years, you'll have a new war you'll be fighting." He paused again and glanced at his father "Your daughter deserves happiness and instead, you're killing her." With that, he walked away from the council.
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"So, I'm heading to Elysium." Luke walked with Percy a few steps away from the gods and Percy brightened.
"That's great!" she grinned "You deserve it!" Luke looked down at her as she said this.
"I wish I could help you more, but I have no idea how to do so." He wrapped her in a hug and rested his chin on top of her head. "Come visit me whenever you want, I'm going to need a training partner." They both grinned and as Hades beckoned, Luke gripped her tighter "Remember Persephone, you are a phoenix. I don't know if you can see through the ashes yet, but you are rising and you are beautiful." He held her at arm's length and tears came to her eyes as he walked away from her.
"Thank you, Luke!" she called "Thank you for everything." She meant the words she said. She meant them when she thought of how he almost killed her more than once, she meant them when she remembered the good times where they talked for hours on end, and she meant it for the good times and the bad.
Luke turned back to her with a grin and held up a fist. It meant one thing, stay strong. "Remember, little sis!" he called "You're a phoenix!" and with that, Hades had his shoulder and he was gone.