Please note: I do not own Percy Jackson or related characters. This story is just an opportunity for me to play around with these characters and my creativity. I love getting feedback and you all deserve the best stories, so feel free to review so I can be the best storyteller I can be! Thank you!
Thalia
Thalia watched through the window as the Queen Cassiopeia approached a pier to prepare to dock. The pier was next to a facility with a large field of green grass that looked like a golf course. An aquatics center stood next to the course, as well as several signs that read Chelsea Piers. Around the boat was relatively tame water that glittered in the sunlight. The water almost looked inviting. Part of Thalia wanted to make an escape through the window, diving deep into the ocean and never returning.
However, she couldn't afford to bow out now. She had bigger things to do. She had done too much to get here. She had even hurt Reyna in pursuit of this. For her to give up now would be a slap in the face of those who tried to stop her. It would also disrespect those she was trying to save.
This was perhaps the most important mission of her life. She had faced countless monsters in her history, but this mission was against one that was undefeated- death itself.
A knock rapped at the door.
"Yeah," Thalia said. The door slid open to reveal Clarisse and the Pandos, standing awkwardly next to one another. They looked uncomfortable, like they were having trouble fitting in the doorway at the same time.
"We have docked, Empress," the Pandos reported.
Clarisse rolled her eyes and stepped forward, in front of the creature. "Some asshole is asking us for docking registration and won't drop it. Should I take care of it?"
Clarisse was thumbing one of the knives on her belt as she asked, like she was itching for a yes. She looked tired, but still on the edge, like she was being animated by nothing but pure adrenaline.
Thalia couldn't blame the asshole for asking them for registration. If she was the one who had seen leagues of drugged up and bloody passengers come out of a boat and the boat was not registered, she would have some questions as well. As tempting as it would to let Clarisse handle it, it may result in them having to deal with the death of a somewhat innocent Chelsea Piers official.
"Nah," Thalia said. "We need to be as inconspicuous as possible. I'll be out there to handle him in a little bit."
Clarisse crossed her arms. It was weird to see the daughter of Ares almost look like she was pouting.
Thalia acknowledged the Pandos. "And what of our allies in the city?"
"All accounted for and taken care of," the Pandos replied. "Your journey to the Empire State Building will be without obstruction. There is also a parade prepared for you, leading to the Empire State Building."
Clarisse frowned, looking from the Pandos to Thalia. "A parade?"
"Yes," the Pandos confirmed. "Nero usually wanted a parade to welcome his arrival into whatever city he was visiting. In Greek tradition, a parade announces the entrance of royalty, which you are, Empress."
Clarisse's jaw hardened as she regarded Thalia. "So much for inconspicuous."
Thalia met Clarisse's gaze for a second, before looking at the Pandos. "No parade."
"But, Empress," the Pandos said. "Guests from all around the world have already filtered into New York to see the new head of the Triumvirate Holdings. Families have made reservations."
"All in one day?" Thalia couldn't suppress the creeping skepticism in her voice.
"Of course. Your entrance is not to be missed."
"Fine. I don't care. Just make sure that I won't have to fight my way to the Empire State Building."
Clarisse scoffed and stormed out, muttering something about arrogant children of Zeus.
Thalia was about to walk out to confront the docking staff member before she caught a reflection of her clothes in the glint of the doorknob. The gray long-sleeve shirt that she had gotten from Percy looked rough now. It didn't smell the best. It was slightly damp, with Thalia's sweat and blood. The integrity of the shirt was compromised, as there were several rips and tears. There was dried blood around her shoulder where Hunter had shot her. The Wild Places section of the New York Aquarium: Saving Wildlife and Wild Places label looked scratched off, like someone had taken a knife to it.
Thalia looked at the Pandos. "I know this may be a stretch, considering what this ship was used for- but are there any clothes on this ship?"
For the first time, the Pandos' face broke into an unsettling smile. "Of course, my empress."
The Pandos led Thalia down the spiral stairwell to one of the lower levels. They walked into a large closet that looked about sixty feet deep. Racks of hangers stretched throughout the room, like the Burlington Coat Factory. On the hangers were several different kinds of clothes, of all different colors, styles, and sizes. Unfortunately, most of the clothes seemed to be the types of clothes that one would wear on a pleasure ship.
"Are there…any clothes that are not revealing in choice spots?" Thalia asked.
Before Thalia could react, an invisible force blew through the area and whisked her a brilliant white chiton and some sandals with golden straps.
Thalia shook her head. "I don't know about that. Robes are not quite my thing. I need something lightweight, something I can wear armor under. I can't be vulnerable."
The force split into three directions- two blew away the chiton and sandals while another brought her a garment which looked like two black capes with silver trim and a sizeable hole in the middle. The two capes flaps held together by a golden clasp.
Thalia nodded. "Can I try this on?"
The force once again split into several arms. One arm of force blew off her shirt while the other blew on a white, padded shirt, along with fitted brown leather armor right after it. Another force threw the double-sided garment on Thalia, with her head going through the hole in the middle. Before Thalia got a chance to look down at herself, the invisible force blew her a mirror.
Thalia looked like a poet, who was about to give a speech to an Athenian assembly before carrying out an assassination. The garment, however, felt clean and didn't smell too bad. It was better than nothing. The armor fit perfectly as well.
She began to look at herself. With a start, she realized how bad she looked. Eye crust and dried drool cracked on her face. Light purple bags hung under her eyes, making Thalia look a lot older than she was. Her face looked pale, and her eyes looked like they had lost a little of their life. Her wound from the knife slash yesterday had dried into a red, purple, and black scar on her cheek. It looked like it was underlining the bags under her left eye.
In the mirror, Thalia saw the Pandos nod in approval. "Wonderful choice, Empress. That is a chlamys, a garment typical of Greek royalty. You look…wonderful."
"As long as you work for me, just know one rule I have," Thalia said. "Don't lie to me."
Thalia turned and walked out of the room, her chlamys flapping behind her. The Pandos scurried after her.
"How many people do we have left, now that the guests are gone?" Thalia began to ascend the central staircase towards the deck of the ship.
"Twenty in total, Empress. Five Germani, seven demigods, and eight of your personal guards. The scary women."
Thalia nodded. "And you, as well. So we'd be at twenty-one."
The Pandos hesitated. "Empress, I've been assigned as the aide for this ship specifically. I have orders to never leave this ship."
"So your life has been reduced to waiting for Nero to arrive on this pleasure ship, and serving him for as long as he's here? What happened when he wasn't here?"
"I waited for him to come back," the Pandos answered simply.
Thalia was about to condemn Nero's actions, but she found that she couldn't. In fact, she had done the same thing. As soon as she had assumed power, she used the Pandos for her own personal gain without giving it a second thought. In that way, she may have been just as bad as Nero. She was here to break the system of domination, not perpetuate it further.
Thalia stopped on the stairs. A few demigods trotted up the stairs past them, putting their fists on their chest and bowing to Thalia as they passed.
"What's your name?" she asked the Pandos.
"My name?"
"Yeah."
The Pandos paused as if he hadn't thought about what his name was in a very long time. "Bentee." After saying his name, he straightened up like even saying his name gave him power. His long arms rose like his spine, until they hung off the ground.
"Bentee, I am your empress, now. As such, you follow my orders."
Bentee began to shrink away from Thalia as she asserted her position.
"And I am telling you, right now, that you have now been liberated."
Bentee blinked. "I'm sorry, Empress…what?"
"You're free. Once I get the twenty fighters off the ship, this ship is yours. Take it around the world. Travel. Go back to your family. Start one of your own. Go be happy. You've probably spent a huge chunk of your life having to serve. Now, it's time to find your place in this world."
Thalia continued to walk up. She began to smell the scent of the water, as well as the pollution of the city. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Bentee, frozen on the stairs like his entire life had been turned upside down. In a way, Thalia supposed, it had.
Thalia reached the deck to find the fighters there. The Primes nodded at her, while the demigods and Germani put one fist on their chest and bowed to her. Thalia jogged to one of the alcohol stands and grabbed an old receipt. Thalia then stepped down the stairs, and onto the pier towards a bald, tanned man with sunglasses.
He was on his phone, but then opted to take the phone away from his ear to shake his fist at Clarisse. "The police will be here soon! They'll make you all leave!"
Clarisse shouted multiple expletives that made Thalia want to wash her own mouth with soap. The bald man regurgitated the curses in backwards order.
While the two of them were engaged with one another, though, Thalia focused on the receipt. She imagined a heavy layer of Mist falling over the receipt. She imagined a docking registration slip. As she did so, she saw the air in her hand begin to shimmer. The words on the receipt looked fuzzy and began to overlay among one another.
Thalia walked up to him. "Excuse me!"
The man looked at Thalia irritably. "Unless you got papers for me, take your boat and move it from here."
"I'm sorry for my friend here. We're here for a cosplay convention in Manhattan. Here are our papers."
She handed the receipt to the man, and she watched closely as he investigated it. His brow furrowed as he examined the sheet, and took off his glasses to get a clearer look at it. Just for good measure, Thalia focused as much as she could on the paper, and intensified the Mist around it.
The man looked up at Thalia. He was shorter than her by a few inches. "Your friend has an attitude," he said.
Thalia fought the urge to throw him into the water. "Yeah, she's been going through a lot."
The man squinted, looking between Thalia and the ship. "Time of the month?"
Thalia shrugged. "Hey, man, I didn't ask. You don't have to tell me."
The man cursed at her and stomped away so hard that Thalia thought he may step through the pier. Thalia turned to the Queen and beckoned her crew to exit. Thalia nodded at Bentee as he waved at her from the edge of the main deck. The ship was so large that Bentee looked like a speck. It was then that Thalia, once again, got perspective on how large the Queen Cassiopeia really was. Nero really seemed to be compensating for something.
Together, Thalia and her crew walked through the pier and out towards Manhattan. With everyone around her, Thalia feel like she was surrounded by a security detail.
With such a group of capable fighters around her, Thalia allowed herself to look around. Skyscrapers stretched to the clouds. The Empire State Building seemed to hang over all of them, with the sunlight hitting the paneling and turning it silver. The top windows glowed golden, however, like the gods themselves were daring Thalia to approach.
Families, friend groups, and couples walked around the city, taking pictures, walking pets, and exiting restaurants. Cabs, Ubers, and Lyfts filled the streets while people took up the sidewalks next to the streets. Honks and ambient chatter filled the air. The names of the shops and restaurants were the only things that provided order to the concrete jungle in front of them.
Thalia realized that she didn't know what day it was. From the position of the sun, it seemed like it was late afternoon. Based on the behavior of the people in the city, it seemed like it was a weekend day. No one seemed particularly in a hurry to get somewhere- most people seemed to be there recreationally.
The demigods were slightly leading the group, through a dizzying set of short turns. Finally, they turned onto West 34th street. This one was different because there were no cars on the road. In fact, the roads themselves were blocked off by several police cars. Officers walked around the empty streets, seemingly searching for something. In contrast, the sidewalks on either side were full of people. However, these people didn't seem to be going anywhere. Instead, they seemed to all mean to be right there, as if they were waiting for something.
As Thalia and her group approached, the police began to move their blockade. One of the officers put a hand on their chest and bowed to her as he beckoned them through. Thalia almost felt like freezing up. She knew the Triumvirate Holdings were big, but she didn't know they had people in the police force. Such a reality was worrisome, to say the least. What else was the Triumvirate controlling? How much power, reach, and influence did Thalia really have at this moment?
Thalia forced herself to put one foot in front of the other. She wouldn't let this intimidate her.
Thalia noticed the demigod leading the group fall back so that Thalia was in the front. The Empire State Building was now a straight shot away. The crowd was cheering her as she walked through, so much so that Thalia could barely hear her own thoughts. Police were stationed in intermittent blocks, controlling the crowds so they didn't burst forward. However, as Thalia passed, they bowed to her and resumed their monitoring of the crowds.
Thalia's face felt hot. Her palms began to sweat. This was a parade full of Triumvirate employees, or fans, or stakeholders. They were all here, chanting for their new boss.
The cheering turned into a coordinated chant of Empress! Empress! Empress!
Thalia looked at Clarisse, who had a smug look on her face. "Empresses deserve parades, don't they? Wave to your adoring fans," she said.
Thalia clenched her jaw and faced forward. She just needed to get past this and to the Empire State Building. She began to notice a sequence of billboards light up blue as she approached.
The first billboards on either side of Thalia glowed light blue, and read in white lettering, Save Annabeth!
The second set of billboard glowed a deeper blue, with bolder white letters, Avenge your family!
The third set of billboars glowed white, with blue letters. The letters slid in from the side, which Thalia admitted was a cool effect. Kill the Ophiotaurus!
The fourth set glowed purple, with black letters. Kill the gods!
The last set read, Tune in to "Thalia Makes It Right," premiering TODAY, at 7/6 central.
Thalia turned to her crew to see if any of them were seeing this, but they all had their visions trained either forward or on her. Thalia turned back, and cursed as her heart began to beat out of her chest. She didn't know if this was real or not, but she didn't have time to think too hard about it.
She arrived at the Empire State Building. The building was a grayish tan color. Each of its windows had red trim on it, and reflected the images of the Manhattan buildings directly across from them. The entrance to the building had three long, stained glass windows over them, pointing to a label above that read, Empire State, in golden letters. The building continued on so high that Thalia would have to break her neck to see to the top of it. The streets around it were uncharacteristically empty, devoid of cars or people- as if the blockade was a multi-faceted one that blocked traffic from all directions.
Thalia took a breath and walked into the lobby of it. A guard with a dark blue uniform sat in a chair behind a desk. Metal detectors stood next to the desk, leading to a set of elevators. Behind the guard was a polished granite wall, with an illustration of the Empire State Building leading to a celestial sun, with silver rays that fell to the city beneath.
The guard was reading a book with a sigil on the front, titled A Song of Ice & Fire. The guard looked up lazily upon seeing Thalia and the group approach.
"How can I help you?"
"I need to get to Olympus. Six hundredth floor."
The guard didn't look up from the book. "I don't know what you're talking about. There's not a six hundredth floor. Keep it moving, ma'am."
Thalia looked at Clarisse, whose hands were creeping towards her knife. Thalia bit her lip and shook her head, then turned back to the guard.
She hated doing this, but sometimes it was pretty handy. "So you're not going to let us up? I guess I'll have to tell my father that-"
Thalia checked his name tag. "-Rodney wouldn't let Zeus see his own daughter."
Rodney turned pale and looked at Thalia. He then squinted at her and craned his neck, like he was looking into her DNA to cross-check Thalia's claim. He then straightened up and put the book down. "You're Zeus' daughter?"
Thalia let her eyes speak for herself.
"Uh, sorry, ma'am. You need an appointment, though, to see Lord Zeus. He really doesn't like unscheduled visits, even from his own-"
Clarisse had it right. Thalia didn't have time for this.
In one motion, Thalia reached to her back, grabbed her spear, and swung it like a stick. It hit Rodney in the head, knocking him to the ground underneath the desk. The chair swung out from under him. Thalia vaulted the desk and stepped on his left wrist. She pointed her spear at his face, and charged static electricity through it.
"I don't make appointments," Thalia growled. "Let. Us. Up. Or I'll use your Adam's Apple to decorate your desk."
Rodney reached to his belt using his free hand and pulled out a gold-and-silver card. "H-Here," he stuttered out. "Y-you'll have to make t-two trips."
Thalia looked at her crew of twenty. She thought back to when Jason would try to carry all of the groceries into their residence with one trip. His tiny arms would be straining as he did so. However, once his grip gave out, the groceries came tumbling out of the bag, prompting another trip to the store. She wouldn't make the same mistake- she'd be damned if she finally got to the Empire State Building and was stopped by a faulty elevator.
Thalia let Rodney up. She slid back across the desk and walked straight under the metal detectors. The sensors went off, but Thalia didn't care. She pointed at the group. "Half of you, with me."
Clarisse, Doris, and the rest of the Primes joined her, as well as two Germani guards. They stepped into the elevator, and Thalia inserted the card into a slot on the dash. The slot glowed blue as it registered the card, and ate it up. As the card disappeared from view, a red button appeared on the top of the dash, saying, 600.
Thalia pressed the button, and waited.
And waited some more.
They waited an ungodly amount of time, as the Breakbot song, "Baby, I'm Yours," played from the speaker on loop.
Finally, the doors crawled open. Thalia's breath caught in her chest. Her vision began to pulse. They were standing on a stone bridge that looked to be magically suspended in the middle of the air. They looked to be tens of thousands of feet up in the air, right over Manhattan. Clouds hung all around them. It was cold up there, adding some additional uneasiness to Thalia's mounting fear.
At the end of the walkway was a set of marble steps that led to a mountaintop in the sky. Olympus had multiple levels, like a mountainous, divine version of the Queen Cassiopeia. The lower levels were residential districts, full of white and golden mansions that shone like the sun in the light. Several winding roads led up towards the top of the mountain. The roads ran through a garden level with olive trees, rosebushes, and other beautiful otherworldly plants. The roads also coursed through a large entertainment district with colorful tents, stone amphitheaters, coliseums, and a thousand braziers that glowed with crimson flames. Thalia could hear the music of festivals and celebrations float to her like a ghost.
The winding roads finally led up to the largest palace of them all, surrounded by snow. It looked like a white and golden castle, rising proudly above it all.
The Olympian throne room.
Thalia felt her mouth getting dry and her face getting wet with sweat.
"Ha…" she said weakly as she looked down. She couldn't stop her mind from imagining what would happen if she took one false step on the walkway. It would be her falling, so much falling that she'd probably die on the way down.
"Thalia," Doris said, stepping forward. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah," Thalia said in a hoarse voice, licking her lips. "Just waiting for the rest of our crew."
On cue, the rest of the group arrived through the elevators. Doris looked at Thalia as if to say, Now what's your excuse?
"The crew is here," Doris said.
Thanks, Captain Obvious, Thalia said. She took a breath. She had to do this. For Annabeth.
Thalia took a step on the walkway. The bridge didn't move at all. She took another step, and continued to do so until she reached the end of the bridge. She then felt her energy return, as she climbed up the marble steps to Olympus.
The group followed the main winding road through the multiple levels of Olympus. Thalia had a hard time not gawking at everything around her. Everything seemed to glow white and silver. The residential districts had liquid gold woven into the infrastructure, as nymphs and minor gods walked around and hung out in fountains. The entertainment district was perhaps the busiest, with hundreds of thousands of people roaming around.
A festival seemed to be carrying on, filled with elaborate costumes, ubiquitous music, and gorgeous displays. Centaurs stood behind stands, selling cotton clouds on a stick, flavored with varying flavors of fruit syrup. Bands were playing crazy sets of instruments, some that Thalia had never seen before. The packed coliseum occasionally roared with cheering and screams.
Thalia led her group up the main winding road to get to the uppermost level of Olympus. This level was a lot calmer. It almost reminded Thalia of a college campus- several sidewalks and paths led to multiple buildings and parks in the area. Water droplets flowed through the air, creating an endless spray of water and mist. As such, rainbows ran through the air, appearing and disappearing constantly. The Muses were hosting a performance in a courtyard, their manes of coiled hair flapping and moving with each exaggerated dance move. Satyrs, nymphs, and godlings surrounded the area, watching them perform.
Minor gods tended to the Olympian gardens, in a display that was worthy of Demeter herself. Some individuals were set up in vibrantly colored and decorated tents on patches of grass and flowers of any color you could imagine. Satyrs were setting up what looked like camera equipment for Hephaestus-TV, pointing towards the Muses' performance. A freshwater spring cut through the entire area, helping provide connective tissue through all the places. It smelled like an intoxicating combination of vanilla and cinnamon.
Thalia looked down the main road to a large courtyard that led to the silver-golden doors of the Olympian throne room. Thalia could see hints of Annabeth's architecture coming to life. Statues of Athena and Poseidon joining hands served as an archway leading to the Pegasus farm. Each building was held up by columns that looked to be a mix between Doric and Corinthian styles. The columns seemed woven with streaks of bronze, helping to secure the structure. A few capitals, designs at the top of columns, read CHB, for Camp Half-Blood. Statues of each of the Graces stood by the buildings.
A tholos, a small circular temple, stood by the courtyard and the throne room. It had a name plate that read, Dedicated to our beloved demigods, fallen and living- Olympus stands on the backs of your service.
Thalia had to bite her tongue to stop her from cursing all the people around her. They had the gall to celebrate, when the person who designed Olympus was dead. They looked carefree and relaxed, completely detached from the world below.
But she was here, though. And she would give them something to celebrate about.
"There are too many people by the throne room doors," Doris pointed out. "We mustn't move in at this point."
"Why?" Clarisse frowned. "Who over there is going to stop us?"
Thalia followed their lines of vision to see several children playing around the Olympian courtyard. Some nymphs sat by the gardens, enjoying the sights.
"Doris is right," Thalia said. "We may need to wait until later."
"Hello, there," a sing-song voice floated from Thalia's side. She turned to see a short woman with olive skin, black hair that fell in waves, and eyes as orange as a sunset. She was carrying a basket of what looked like water. She wore light blue jeans and a large black sweatshirt, with rips in the sleeves and body. The shirt and the lighting brought the color out of her eyes, and her voice made Thalia feel like she had a warm glass of milk after a long day.
"Move along," Clarisse said sharply.
Thalia shot Clarisse a look. Thalia couldn't believe that she was being so rude, when this individual seemed to just want to say hi.
The woman gave a smile that almost thawed Thalia's heart. "I am sorry to bother you all. And how rude of me- my name is Mia. It is just that you all seemed new here, and I wanted to see if I could help you all out in any way."
Thalia nodded. She needed to engage this strategically- they already looked suspicious with a bunch of warriors surrounding her.
"Well, thanks for that. I think we're good, we don't need any help."
Mia nodded. She then seemed to register the detail around Thalia. "Are you a queen?"
Thalia balked. It was a weird sensation- she didn't know how to react, but it made her feel weird that she didn't just say no.
Doris stepped in. "She is just a visitor, as we all are."
Mia let go of her bucket, but instead of falling, it floated in the air. She clapped several times, jumping up and down. "Joy! Please join me for dinner, then. I love guests."
Thalia turned to look at her crew of twenty large, aggressive warriors. They were likely very hungry, but she didn't know how much food this woman had.
"We...don't want to infringe upon you," Thalia said. "Thanks for the offer, though."
"Oh, no worries! I do not take no for an answer!" Her voice drew Thalia towards her, and made her think of the time where Luke and Thalia sat together to watch the sunset on the porch of an abandoned house in the middle of the woods. She had been truly happy back then. Now, she was far from happy. But, they couldn't stay out here and continue to draw attention to themselves.
Mia skipped off, towards the courtyard of the Muses' performance. Thalia looked at Clarisse, who rolled her eyes and started following. The group followed Mia past the performance and down a set of steps that looked carved into the mountain. They saw a small wooden shop that jutted out from the side of the mountain, labeled, Afterglow Pastries in silver letters. It looked like a gingerbread house, with windows decorated with candy cane outlines.
From the looks of it, Thalia doubted that the place could hold eight people comfortably, much less twenty. However, as they stepped in, they went down a short set of stairs to reveal a large dining room with plush couches, velvet stools, multiple wood-carved tables, and a counter in the back with a variety of pastries and desserts on display. It smelled sweet, like her mother's pastries on Sunday morning.
Additionally, the room was full of boxes, bins, books, bottles, baskets, and food- so much so that Thalia barely had enough room to think. The room should not have been able to fit in the building from the outside, but this place seemed to be able to hold this dining space and more.
Mia waved her hand towards the dining seating area. Thalia's group looked at Thalia uneasily, like they didn't know what to do. Thalia gave them a nod, and the group squeezed into the dining area. Thalia figured that they wouldn't complain about the mess too much, as it had been a while since they had a good home-cooked meal.
Mia pointed her hand towards a stained glass window, and a ray of sunshine began to produce, almost like a spotlight on her. In the sunshine, Thalia saw sparkles begin to collect and form until a plate formed in the air. Mia took the plate out of mid-air, and floated it over to one of the Primes. She continued this process until everyone had plates in front of them. Mia spun through the room to reach the counter. With a wave of her hand, a golden-brown garlic bread pasta torte crawled through the air and floated towards Thalia.
Mia winked at Thalia, and Thalia heard some of the Triumvirate demigods nearly swoon. "The queen goes first."
Thalia looked to her side to see a plate floating on the other side of her. Thalia took the plate and took the torte slice. She then took a bite of it like a pizza, resulting in laughs from Mia and Thalia's group.
Thalia stopped chewing and looked around. "What?" she asked with her mouth full.
Mia pointed by Thalia's ear. Thalia looked at where she was pointing, to see a fork floating. She took the fork, and felt her face turn red. The laugher increased. Even the Germani guards couldn't stop themselves from giggling with their hands covering their mouths.
Thalia rolled her eyes and continued eating, letting herself taste the bite she took.
She had to stop herself from letting a moan escape her. It was one of the best bites of food she had ever had. The cheese, the bread, and the sauce all came together to make a beautiful breaded version of pizza-pasta dish.
The rest of her crew took a bite of their food, and proceeded to devour their portions. Even Clarisse's perpetual hardened stare softened once she took a bite of it. As they were eating, Thalia saw Mia take the bucket of water she had, and add it to a large tank of water.
Clarisse swallowed her first bite. "I don't mean to intrude, but do you live here?"
Mia nodded emphatically. "I do!"
Thalia blinked. They had just passed by neighborhoods of beautiful mansions made of gold, and yet Mia was living in her bakery. "Wait, why?"
Mia looked out through the stained glass window. Despite her casual clothes, the spotlight of sunshine made her look divine. "My mother was a Hesperide. She was embroiled in a plot to try to oust Zeus from his throne hundreds of years back. This was before she had me with Eosphorus, a minor god. The gods banished her from ever returning to Olympus, along with me and my brother."
The sunlight became uncomfortably hot. Thalia was afraid the tables may catch on fire.
"Then how are you-"
"Still here? Well, I heard that the material plane is not too good for nymphs like myself or my brother. Between pollution, war, and prejudice, I knew we needed to stay here, in this demiplane that allowed us protection from the world below. So, I made a deal."
"What kind of deal?" one of the Primes asked, with their mouths full.
Mia regarded them, her eyes full of nothing but power. "Two hundred years of servitude, mostly architecture, and I will be able to be in Olympus without any negative repercussions. However, I am banned from living in the residential districts. As such, I carved a home out in this mountain. Afterglow Dwellings is my attempt to give back to Olympus, and to give the other mountain folk a place to go where they will not be judged or attacked. I have only sixty-one years to go."
"Mountain folk?" Doris beat Thalia to it.
"Sixty-one?!" Clarisse said.
"Yes, sixty-one. And yes, all the rejected, the stigmatized, and the cursed have retreated into the mountains, out of sight from the general Olympus population. We all live in a community down here."
Thalia felt sick. This paradise, that seemed so pure and cheerful, had its dark corners- just like every other place in her "world below." Even Olympus had disadvantaged populations, the people that society didn't care about.
"What about your brother?" Thalia asked.
A cloud came over Mia's face, and the place got darker, like the sun moved out of view. "My brother refused to be confined to the mountains with me. He stood up to the gods, and attempted to mobilize a vote of no-confidence, as well as a petition for Lord Zeus to step down."
Mia looked miserably at the window. "They killed him for it. They made it a public display."
The room was so silent that Thalia could hear the bread rising in the back.
"So," Mia continued, with sunshine back in her voice. "What brings you travelers here?" Mia asked.
"We're here," Thalia said between sad chews. "To find a friend."
Mia cocked her head. "Is she lost?"
Thalia nodded and watched the brown floors. Part of her wondered if it could be made of actual gingerbread. "You could say she's lost. And we're trying to find her."
"Oh, no. How long has she been gone?"
Thalia thought. "A few weeks, maybe."
Mia nearly fell out of her chair. "Weeks? We must find your friend!"
Thalia shook her head. "Thanks for the sentiment, but I think we should be good. We'll have her back by this evening."
"Oh, good," Mia said, with a smile so genuine that it made Thalia smile.
Suddenly, her smile wavered. "Is your friend in the throne room of the Olympians?"
"Excuse me?" Thalia blinked.
"I heard you all considering the best way to get into the throne room."
Shit. She must have overheard them talking about the throne room outside. That may have been why she invited them inside. Hell, this entire place may be a trap.
Thalia saw Doris' hand creep towards her spear. Clarisse gripped her knife. They were ready to jump Mia if Thalia gave the word.
But Thalia refused to give the word. Mia had lost her brother, like Thalia. She had been nothing but kind to them, and she refused to treat her like the gods.
"...yes," Thalia said. "My friend is in the throne room. She was a sister of mine."
Mia looked long and hard into Thalia's eyes. "Do you miss her?"
"Every minute of every day. I am doing this not only for her, but also for my own brother."
"Younger or older?"
"Younger. He was my baby brother."
Mia nodded like she understood. Her face was deathly serious. "I see something familiar in your eyes. A fracture, like you are searching for something that will make you whole. Do you think finding your friend will make you whole?"
Thalia looked down at her dish. The heat emanating from the plate was just warm enough to remind Thalia of a warm sunbathing. "I aim to make a change. A real change, one that will result in people no longer living in the underbelly of society. A change that will help the invisible and the disadvantaged. With this change, I could save our brothers."
The sunlight was now hitting Thalia, engulfing Mia in shadow.
"I don't think finding my friend will make me whole," Thalia concluded. "I think that finding my friend will help make it so that others will never be fractured again."
Mia, while in the shadows, searched Thalia's eyes for a second. She then stepped into the light once more. Her face made Thalia feel like she was going to kick her out, or choke her somehow using the sunlight. Instead, Mia pulled Thalia into a hug. She smelled like pumpkin spice and nutmeg.
"I believe you can do it," Mia whispered. "I believe you can save us."
She pulled away. "How can I help?"
Thalia glanced at Clarisse and Doris, who were putting their weapons away once more. She could tell they weren't happy about Thalia giving away their position, and she understood. She had to proceed carefully, as she just spilled her guts to a complete stranger. Mia could end up being a double agent for Hera, and they could be in trouble. Hera was never a big fan of Thalia, for obvious reasons.
"I need to get into the throne room, undetected."
Mia thought for a second, and then grabbed a plate on one of the stacks of boxes near her. She drew a circle concentric to the shape of the plate itself. As she did, the path she drew glowed yellow, like she was drawing with pure light. Then, the center of the plate turned into a specific place, to reveal a satyr. He had a round, plump face, a sharp fade, long horns, and a red nose.
"Mia, my beautiful flower! I'm guessing you're calling because you missed me?"
Mia frowned and reached towards the image. "Goodbye, Lereus."
"Wait, wait! I'm sorry, it was a joke. How can I help you?"
"I need you to come over here at sunset."
"Wha-oh-of course! I'll be there! I'll bring a bottle of the best wine. What time should I be there? Never mind, I'll figure it out. I'll be ready."
"Easy, Lereus. I need a favor."
Lereus' excitement faltered. "Anything. What do you need?"
"I need you to deliver a package to Ares' throne."
Lereus frowned. His upper lip curled up in distaste. "Anythin' but that, Mia. Come on, girl! I thought you were done with him."
"I am done with him. He let me down, as you know, and I cannot forgive him for that. But what I do want you to do is to bring him a package. It's one he definitely will not like."
Lereus' face started to creep back into a smile. "Oh, of course I'll help you. If anyone asks, I'll say it's his new weapon. Word around the Mount is that it kills people that even look at it."
"I think that will work."
"And, now, what's the package? Like, the actual package. "
Mia ignored the question. "I shall see you at sunset. Do not be late."
"Wait! If I do this for you, you have to go on a date with me."
"...I think I will ask someone else. Thank you for your time, Lereus," Mia said.
Lereus must have tripped over something scrambling up. "Don't you dare! I'll be there in a few hours."
Mia tapped the plate, and the image dissolved. She looked at Thalia. "You have your in. Lereus is on Hermes' payroll, and serves as one of the delivery satyrs that brings packages to the gods. He's a good ally to have."
Mia looked past Thalia to watch the Triumvirate demigods whisper something amongst themselves.
"I am not toxic," she exclaimed.
Thalia looked to see the demigods put up their hands in concession.
Clarisse frowned. "Once he gets here, he'll see that the 'package' he's supposed to be carrying is a grown-ass woman. What do we do from there? Do we have something that he's going to think is the package?"
Thalia and Mia looked down to the several boxes and bins on the ground.
"I think we got that covered," Thalia said.
She looked at Clarisse. "All right. If Lereus gets here and sees all of us, he may get scared away. All of you, go out on this level of Olympus and have fun. The Muses are probably still performing. Be inconspicuous. When sunset hits, though, I want you all stationed in the spring, behind statues, and in trees- starting from the courtyard and going all the way down to the end of the road that leads to the lower levels. Go!"
Thalia didn't need to tell them twice. Like they were children going out to play with their friends, the demigods, the Germani, and the Primes ran outside. Thalia heard one of them say, "Best emperor ever!"
Thalia turned to Mia, who gave her a small smile.
"Emperor?"
"That's just their nickname for me," Thalia replied.
"Hmm," Mia said, suppressing a smile. "Help me clean this up, perhaps?"
For the next few hours, Thalia and Mia organized boxes, cleaned up loose clothes, strewn-around bins, put away containers of food, and even swept up the room. When a knock sounded at the door, Mia nodded at Thalia.
Thalia returned the nod, and put on Annabeth's cap, disappearing from view. She then hopped into the dark blue bin they had designated for Thalia, closing the lid over her.
Mia gave an ooh, and then gave three short claps.
"That is impressive," she said, as she moved towards the door.
Thalia heard Mia open the door.
"Lereus," she heard Mia say. "It is good to see you!"
"Mia, my love! You look lovely, as usual."
"Thank you, Lereus-" she said. "-the package is right over here."
After a few beats of silence, Thalia felt two hands pick her box up. She felt herself moving.
"Good luck, Lereus! May you bring the change you seek," Thalia heard Mia call out.
"Uh...thanks?" Lereus responded.
Thank you, Mia, Thalia thought to herself.
While in the box, she thought about Mia the nymph. What kind of pain did Mia have to face, to live without her brother and be forced to serve the gods afterwards? Just to own a shop underground and be shunned by Olympus as a whole.
Mia was powerful, as well. The daughter of a Hesperide and a minor god? Her power was likely considerable, much farther past any demigod that Thalia may have encountered. Yet, she dared not stand up to the gods, due to an underlying fear.
Thalia had that fear too. She was scared that the gods would curse her, or sentence her to a horrible death because she tried to save Annabeth. Yet, she knew that fear itself was normal. It was human. And yet, she couldn't let fear stop her from doing what she needed to do. She needed to do this, if it was the last thing she did.
Thalia heard Lereus clear his throat. "Uh, hi, there. Are you two the new Olympian security guards? I thought they didn't start for another month?"
"What you got in the box?" Thalia heard Clarisse's voice ask.
"Uh, Ares' new weapon, Warbinger. Rumor has it that it actually kills anyone that looks at it."
There was silence. Thalia could feel Lereus' pulse quicken as the silence continued on.
Finally, Clarrise's voice cut in the silence. "Go ahead, then."
Thalia heard the creak of huge doors opening, as Lereus stepped into what sounded like the throne room. His hooves clopped against the glass ground, echoing throughout the large room. Thalia felt herself get set down. She could feel the power of Ares' throne from even inside the box.
Then, Thalia heard something she wished she hadn't. She heard peeing. For a long time. A stream that took nearly seven minutes to quell. Then, Lereus clopped away, as the throne doors closed behind him.
Thalia kicked open the door, and immediately was hit with the smell of urine. Even the smell, however, couldn't corrupt the awe she had of the throne room. The place was larger than the largest room that she had ever seen. Twelve gargantuan thrones stood in a U shape, with a hearth pit in the middle of it. Massive Corinthian columns held the structure up. The sky was a dark blue, decorated with shifting constellations of stars.
Thalia kicked the box away and walked around the room. Her steps made resounding echoes, like Lereus' own. The Ophiotaurus cage was nowhere to be found, though. Thalia couldn't tell if she was disappointed or not. She wasn't quite sure if she was ready to do so.
She saw Zeus' throne, made of solid platinum with pulsing lightning decorations on them. Hera's ivory and adamantine throne was next to it, sporting peacocks and a willow on it. She saw Poseidon's throne, which looked like a fisher's dream seat. A holster was on the chair, meant for Poseidon's trident.
The throne, however, that caught her eye was a silver throne with golden basket weavings embedded in the material. A crown of violets sat above the chair as well.
Athena's throne.
Thalia took out her spear and approached the throne. Anger spread through her fingers and into the spear as she lifted her arms.
Athena doesn't deserve this throne.
In an all-out thrust, she forced the spear through the base of the chair. Golden energy bled out from the puncture.
Athena gambled Annabeth's life.
Thalia pushed the spear farther in. She felt a presence trying to respond, but nothing happened. It was like the presence itself was blocked by something even more powerful.
"You don't deserve this," Thalia screamed, as she ripped her spear out and stabbed it in the back of the chair this time. "I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME!"
She tore it out and stabbed it again.
And again.
And again.
She lost count of how many times she attacked the throne. Each time, she channeled electricity through it, funneling the lightning of Zeus through the chair. Holes began to form in the throne, with each spear thrust.
Finally, Thalia flipped her spear up and brought it down like a hammer on the throne. The spear hit the throne at the top, and Thalia poured as much lightning as she could into it. Thalia slowly brought the spear down the throne, watching the lightning split the atoms of the throne. The throne itself began to crack, as Thalia dragged the spear down the back and through the seat of the chair.
Thalia heard cackling, as if it was in the room with her, but she didn't care. She needed to finish this. Thalia watched as her electricity split a golden weaving line, and the chair split into two halves. It fell down, and Thalia watched as golden energy evaporated into vapor.
Thalia breathed heavily for a few seconds, before sensing that she wasn't alone in the room. She looked up to see her mother, sitting on Zeus' platinum throne. She wore a business suit, with a black jacket and black pants. Her white collared shirt was unbuttoned at the top, and she lounged on it, holding a glass of wine.
She was the one cackling, as she was still laughing before noticing Thalia watching her.
"My dear," she cooed between fits of laughter. "You made it."
Thalia frowned, catching her breath for a second. "Where are they? Where are the gods?"
Her mother smiled, an unnatural grin that spread over her face. It looked like she was using the skin on her face as a mask, to hide her true form. "The gods are weak. You mustn't worry about them, my love. I have created a barrier that not even they can get through."
Thalia looked at her mother. "How can you do something like that, if you're just a mania?"
"Just a mania," Beryl wailed. "I am so much more than that, my child. I have been the voice that has been-"
"-inside your spirit." As she said those words, the words echoed in the same deep, internal voice that was imprinted on her soul.
Thalia took out her spear. "You're not my mother," Thalia said, in a tight voice.
"But of course I am," her mother said, her voice now much deeper. "I own you, now."
"Never," Thalia said, launching her spear towards the imposter on Zeus' throne. The spear went straight through the mirage's head, embedding itself in Zeus' throne. It began to crackle and charge with electricity, as the power from the throne began to fill the spear. Her mother reached through her head like an illusion and grasped the spear. She removed it from the throne and tossed it back to Thalia- a perfect throw that landed right in Thalia's hand. It hummed with energy.
"I am the one who has gotten you here," her mother said. "Who gave you the idea to pursue the Ophiotaurus. Who protected you during this time. Who has kept you company. Who protected you from the witch on the ship."
"Circe," Thalia said. "You were who she was talking about."
"Oh, she noticed immediately. She wanted to free you, but that couldn't happen. You don't want to be freed. You want to accomplish your goal."
"I am not yours. You don't own me. I'm my own person," Thalia yelled. She felt her free hand ball into a fist.
"Is that so? The person who cried for help on the ocean when you needed to stop the Greek fire? The person who would have died in that forest if I did not send the image of Amaltheia?"
Thalia cursed. Amaltheia wasn't even real. Her father's sacred goat was all in her head. She didn't have anything to say. She had been weak, and this individual- this presence - decided to take advantage.
"And now, I can help you once more," it said, leaning forward on the throne. "You can save Annabeth if you agree to fight for me. And once you slay the Ophiotaurus, you will be free from me."
Thalia wanted to kill whoever this was on the throne. But, the presence was right. It had been there for Thalia all this time, helping her through any situation she needed help through. It had an end goal, but Thalia didn't know what it was. If it wanted her dead, she'd be dead by now.
So why was she still alive?
"What's in it for you?"
"Thalia Grace," the presence said. The room began to take on a dark red tinge. "Your actions are in my best interest, for they will upset the established order. If you succeed and eliminate the gods, this world will be without protection. There will be a power vacuum. Minor gods will scramble to take the thrones. Demigods will challenge them. Ancient adversaries will rise to take their siege on this planet. It will be-"
"Chaos," Thalia said, so soft that it was like a whisper.
The being on the throne smiled. "Yes, child. But, soon, you won't be the only one here. Your friend is on the way. And I aim to collect him as well. So, go hunt, Thalia. Go hunt."