Act IV - To Stop The Tide

Part XII - Some other folks might be a little bit smarter than I am, but none of them will ever love you the way I do, it's me and you.

That night was the first time Andy saw camp burial shrouds used on bodies, and it was not something she wanted to see again. Among the dead, Lee Fletcher from the Apollo cabin, and Castor, a son of Dionysus. His twin brother, Pollux, tried to say a few words, but he chocked.

They spent the night treating the wounded, which was almost everybody. The satyrs and dryads worked to repair the damage to the woods.

The next morning there was a meeting of the Council of Cloven Elders. The three senior satyrs were there, along with Chiron, who would be confined to his wheelchair until his leg was mended. Juniper, Anthony and Andy stood by Grover's side.

They described the weird sound Grover had made during the battle. "It was panic," Juniper said. "Grover summoned the power of the wild god."

"Panic?" Andy asked.

Chiron explained, "During the first war of the gods and the Titans, Lord Pan let forth a horrible cry that scared away the enemy armies. It was his greatest power – a massive wave of fear that helped the gods win the day. The word panic is named after Pan, you see. And Grover used that power, calling it forth from within himself."

"Preposterous!" Silenus bellowed. "Sacrilege! Perhaps the wild god favored us with a blessing. Or perhaps Grover's music was so awful it scared the enemy away."

"Pan let his spirit pass into all of us," Grover said very calmly. "We must act. Each of us must work to renew the wild, to protect what's left of it. We must spread the word. Pan is dead. There is no one but us."

"After two thousand years of searching, this is what you would have us believe?" Silenus cried. "Never! We must continue the search. Exile the traitor. A vote. Who would believe this ridiculous young satyr?"

"I would," said a familiar voice. Everyone turned. Dionysus walked into the clearing and the grief was plain in his face. "I bare bad news. Evil news. The minor gods are changing sides. Morpheus has gone over to the enemy. Hecate, Janus and Nemesis, as well. Zeus knows how many more. Now, if you don't mind, I would like to hear Grover's story."

"But my lord!" Silenus protested. "It's just nonsense!"

Dionysus's eyes flared with purple fire. "My son is dead, Silenus. I am not in a good mood. You would do well to humor me."

Silenus swallowed and Grover repeated his tale.

"That sounds like just the sort of thing Pan would do," Dionysus decided at last. "Grover is right. The search is tiresome. You must start thinking for yourselves."

"We must exile the traitor!" Silenus insisted.

"I say no," Dionysus countered.

"This is an outrage!" Silenus stood. "The council will not stand for this."

"Then it shall be dissolved," Dionysus said. "I couldn't care less."

The satyrs murmured uncomfortably.

"It's okay," Grover told them. "We don't need a council to tell us what to do. We can figure it out ourselves."

He told them again the words of Pan and, finally, the satyrs started to listen.

That afternoon, Andy found Tyson at the beach talking to Briares. Tyson was giving Briares directions to the forges. "You will teach us ways we have forgotten, how to make better weapons and armor."

"I want to see Cyclopes," Briares said. "I don't want to be lonely anymore."

"You will never be lonely again," Andy assured him.

He smiled and shook her hand about a hundred times. He and hugged Tyson, then he waded out into the ocean.

"You helped him a lot," Andy told Tyson.

"I only talked to him."

"No. You believed in him. That's what kept Pan alive all these years. That's what gave Briares strength. Without him, we would've died."

"Hey," a voice said from behind her. Andy turned to find Nico. Tyson walked away sensibly. "Came to say goodbye," the boy told her.

"What? But... you can't just leave! It's too dangerous out there. You need to train."

"I train with the dead," he said flatly. "This camp isn't for me. There's a reason they didn't put a cabin to Hades here. He's not welcome, any more than he is on Olympus. I don't belong. I have to go."

Andy wanted to argue, but she knew it would do no good. "Are you leaving right now?"

Nico nodded. "I've got tons of questions. I need to find out who my mother was. Who paid for Bianca and me to go to school. Who was the lawyer guy who got us out of the Lotus Hotel. I know nothing about my past."

"Well, I hope you find out. And I hope," she took his hand, his skin as cold as ice, "we don't have to be enemies."

The boy smiled faintly. "I'm sorry I was a brat. You were right about everything."

"Keep in touch, Nico."

Reluctantly, he let go of her hand and trudge off into the woods.

Then another voice right behind her said, "There goes a very troubled young man." Dionysus was standing there. "Walk with me, Jackson." Without a choice, Andy followed him back to camp. "We have had many betrayals," he said. "Things are not looking good for Olympus. Yet you and Chase saved the camp. I'm not sure I should thank you for that."

"It was a group effort."

The god shrugged. "Regardless, I suppose it was mildly competent, what you two did. I thought you should know – it wasn't a total loss." They reached the amphitheater, and Dionysus pointed toward the campfire. Clarisse was sitting shoulder to shoulder with Chris Rodriguez. He was telling her a joke.

"You cured him," Andy whispered.

"Madness is my specialty. It was quite simple."

"Wow. You did something nice."

Dionysus raised an eyebrow. "I am nice! I just don't like you in particular, Jackson."

"Uh-"

"Perhaps I felt grieved by my son's death. He was a good boy. Perhaps I thought Rodriguez over there deserved a second chance. At any rate, it seems to have improved La Rue's mood."

"Why are you telling me this?"

The wine god sighed. "Hades if I know. Just remember, a kind act can sometimes be as powerful as a sword. As a mortal, I was never a great fighter or athlete or poet. I only made wine. The people in my village laughed at me. They said I would never amount to anything. Look at me now, I say. Maybe it'll be the same with you."

"People don't laugh at me!"

"Well, you certainly aren't very smart or strong or a great poet, Jackson. But you've got guts. So maybe you'll still have a chance. Sometimes small things can become very large indeed." And he left her there, watching as Clarisse and Chris sang a stupid campfire song together, holding hands in the darkness.

Andy smiled. There was someone else she needed to talk to.

She found him inside the Athena cabin, leaning over a table, studying Daedalus's laptop. "I hear you're going back to San Francisco," she said. When he raised his head, her heart raced.

"There's a private school out there that I'll be going to," he said. "I'll probably hate it, but..." he shrugged.

"Will you call me?"

It was a simple question, but the effect it had on him was great indeed. It was as if a huge burden had left him, and he was finally able to smile again. He was finally back to his normal self.

"Sure," he said. "Andy... I'm sorry I was such a jerk."

Andy frowned. "What was the rest of the prophecy?" she asked. He fixed his eyes on the table and didn't answer. Andy stepped forward. "You shall delve in the darkness of the endless maze," she remembered. "The dead, the traitor, and the lost one raise."

Anthony shook his head, like he wanted her to stop.

"You shall rise or fall by the ghost king's hand," she pressed on. "And the son of Athena's final stand-"

"Andy-"

She was so close now he couldn't avoid looking at her. "Destroy with a hero's final breath..."

"And lose a love to worse than death," he finished in a painful whisper. "I didn't know who the prophecy was talking about. I... I didn't know if-" his voice faltered. "Andy, I thought it meant you. And I was a jerk because I was trying to push you away. I was trying to prepare myself. And when you disappeared in Ogygia, I thought... Then you weren't dead, and I had to prepare myself all over again."

Andy pressed her forehead on his. "I'm sorry," she said. "About everything. About Luke."

"Somehow I'm glad it was him," he said softly. "After you were back... Did you mean what you said?"

Andy smiled. "Yes."

"Good," and he kissed her.

Everything was perfect until Hera decided to appear. She cleared her throat and they turned to look at her. "You found the answers," she told Anthony. "I knew you would. Your quest was a success."

"A success?" Anthony repeated. "A lot of people died. How is that-"

"Our family is safe," Hera insisted. "Those others are better gone, my dear. I am proud of you."

"You paid Geryon to let us pass through the ranch," Andy guessed. "But you didn't care about Nico."

"Oh, please," Hera waved her hand dismissively. "The son of Hades said it himself. No one wants him around. He does not belong."

"Hephaestus was right," Andy said. "You only care about your perfect family, not real people. Whoever doesn't fit, needs to be put out."

Hera's eyes turned dangerously bright. "Watch yourself, child of land and sea. I guided you more than you know in the maze. I helped Anthony kill Geryon. I was at your side when you faced Antaeus. I sent you to Calypso's island. I opened the way to the Titan's mountain. Anthony sees how I've helped. So now, I would welcome a sacrifice for my efforts."

Anthony stood still as a statue. "You're the one who doesn't belong, Hera. So next time, thanks... but, no thanks."

Hera's form began to glow. "You will regret this insult, son of Athena," and she disappeared.

When her birthday arrived Sally threw Andy a small party at their apartment. Paul Blofis came over (Chiron had manipulated the Mist to convince everyone, including Paul, that Andy had nothing to do with the band room explosion), and so did Anthony and Tyson.

Andy was getting ready to blow out the candles when the doorbell rang. Sally frowned. "Did you invite anyone else?" Andy shook her head. Sally opened the door and gasped.

Poseidon stood there. Sally blushed right to the roots of her hair. "Sally," he said. "As beautiful as ever. May I come in?" She mumbled something and he walked inside.

Paul stepped forward. "Hi. I'm Paul Blofis."

Poseidon raised his eyebrows as they shook hands. "Blowfish, you say?"

"Ah, no. Blofis, actually."

"Oh, I see," Poseidon said. "A shame. I quite like blowfish. I am Poseidon."

"Like the god of the sea?"

"Very much like that, yes."

"We're so glad you could drop by," Sally said, nervously. "Paul, this is Andy's father."

"Ah," Paul nodded. "Of course."

Poseidon smiled at Andy. "There you are, my girl. And Anthony. And Tyson! Hello, son!"

"Daddy!" Tyson bounded across the room and hugged the sea god.

Paul's jaw dropped. "Tyson is—"

"Not mine," Sally promised. "It's a long story."

"I couldn't very well miss Andy's seventeenth birthday," Poseidon said. "I've missed all the others." He looked around the room. "Sally, Paul, Anthony, Tyson... would you mind if I borrowed Andy just for a moment?" He put his arm around her and steered her into the kitchen.

Once they were alone, his smile faded. "Are you all right, child?"

"Yeah. I guess," she considered. "Is Luke really gone?"

"I don't know, Andy. It is most disturbing." Poseidon looked troubled. "There is something different about Luke. I don't know how he was prepared to host the Titan's soul, but he will not be easily killed. And yet, I fear he must be killed if we are to send Kronos back to the pit. I will have to think on this. Unfortunately, I have other problems of my own."

"The old sea gods?"

"Indeed. The battle came first to me, Andy. In fact, I cannot stay long. Even now the ocean is at war with itself. It is all I can do to keep hurricanes and typhoons from destroying your surface world, the fighting is so intense."

"Let me help."

Poseidon smiled. "Not yet, child. I sense you will be needed here. Which reminds me..." He brought out a sand dollar and pressed it into her hand. "Your birthday present. Spend it wisely."

"A sand dollar?"

"Oh, yes. In my day, you could buy quite a lot with a sand dollar. I think you will find it still buys a lot, if used in the right situation."

"What situation?"

"When the time comes," Poseidon said, "I think you'll know."

Andy closed her hand around the sand dollar. "Dad," she said. "I saw what Antaeus did in your name."

Poseidon nodded. "Lesser beings do many horrible things in the name of the gods. That does not mean we approve it. The way our sons and daughters act in our names... well, it usually says more about them than it does about us. Antaeus was mistaken. I think you might be, perhaps, my favorite child."

Andy smiled. "You shouldn't say that."

Then her mother called from the living room, "Andy, the candles are melting!"

"You'd better go," Poseidon said. "One last thing. That incident at Mount St Helens... The eruptions are continuing. Typhon is stirring. It is very likely that soon, in a few months, perhaps a year at best, he will escape his bonds."

"I'm so sorry. I never meant-"

Poseidon raised his hand. "It is not your fault, Andy. It would've happened sooner or later, with Kronos awakening the ancient monsters. But be aware, if Typhon stirs... it will be unlike anything you have faced before. The first time he appeared, all the forces of Olympus were barely enough to battle him. My fatherly advice is... keep the sea free."

They ate blue cake and ice cream until late in the night. After the party guests left and Sally went to bed, Andy grabbed another piece of cake and sat out onto the fire escape.

Nico appeared out of thin air. Andy almost fell backwards. "Sorry," he said. "Didn't mean to startle you."

"What are you doing here?"

"I've done some exploring," he said. "Thought you'd like to know. Daedalus got his punishment."

"You saw him?"

He nodded. "Minos wanted to boil him in cheese fondue for eternity, but my father had other ideas. Daedalus will be building overpasses and exit ramps in Asphodel for all time. It'll help ease the traffic congestion. Truthfully, I think the old guy is pretty happy with that. He's still building. Still creating. And he gets to see his son and Perdix on the weekends."

"Good."

Nico tapped a silver ring shaped like a skull. Andy was sure he never wore it before. "I've found some things. I want to make you an offer, Andy Jackson." He said that in this weird, formal way, like he was about to propose to her or something.

"What?"

"The way to beat Luke," he said. "If I'm right, it's the only way you'll stand a chance."

Andy took a deep breath. "I'm listening."

"Is that blue birthday cake?" Nico asked suddenly. He sounded so hungry, so wistful.

"Sit down, Death Boy," she said handing him the plate. "We've got lots to talk about."

- End of Act IV -