Who would have guessed freedom would come through a monster? Aaron surely didn't...
It all started when the Snake ladies came up the hill to gather or inspect the Sarcophogus, which he wasn't sure of, but when they came one of them needlessly bumped into him, knocking him into the dirt. Absently, he reached up and grabbed the laurel on his head to restabalize it, only for his own talisman, formed of the Golden Fleece, to touch it. What felt like electricity shot through him, making him spasm for a moment before a sliver of magic and choice, like a led weight, shot into his mind.
All within a period of less then five seconds.
His mind expanded and he felt anger, hate and rage boil in him, puny compared to what he could naturally feel but so much more vast when compared to what the damned Laurel had allowed him to feel before. He masked it instantly, taking on the deadpanned look as before as he slowly rose from the ground, ignoring the Snake Ladies entirely. He moved over to Artemis, reaching into his shirt he pulled out two talismans, one gifted from Hades, one from Hepheastus. Both coins, both powerful gifts...
He knew what he had to do, and right then was his only chance...
The moment he reached the Goddess, he heard Luke barked out. " What are you doing?"
Without looking back, he slammed the Hades Coin agaisnt the Goddesses forehead, expelling all of his power at once. Shadows exploded from every corner of the mountian, swirling and surging forth, mixing with her as she looked at him with horror and understanding. The Shadows would carry her away, far away, to a place of safety and security, as far as his personal magic could allow.
Then as the Sky started to fall, he threw himself under the mountian and squeezed the second coin, channeling the power of Hepheastus to allow a single blessing. Instantly he felt a rush of strength, easing though not obliterating the burden. A red glaze crossed Aaron's vision as he looked out at the idiots gaping at him, only to have his vision partially obscured as pieces of the Laurel binding his mind shattered under the force of the Sky.
"NO! What did you do!" Luke rushed forward, sword in hand only to stop shy of him, growling in frustration. "You ruined everything!"
Barely, ever so barely, Aaron managed to chuckle out. "That's the point. You will fail..." Any more was too much for him, he had to focus on not losing his sanity from the strain of the Sky.
What felt like hours later, but was probably only minutes later, Alabaster crashed onto the scene. "The laurel shattered, I felt it... how... What did you do?" He growled at the Snake Women, who recoiled in fear. "It was after you came here that things went blurry! What did you do?"
Aaron couldn't hear much more after that, collasping to his knees as the blessing of Hepheastus was burned out by the power of the sky, forcing him to feel the full might of the Sky once more...
"""
"Where am I?" Artemis stood, shaking and weak, feeling her powers return to her ever so slightly. No longer bound by the Sky, she would slowly return to her full strength by the time the moon was at it's apex, or so she imagined. She wasn't sure...She had never been caught before. Looking skyward, she reached out to the Moon Chariot and felt, by it's perspective time magic and the ability to navigate that came with the stars even if they were not visible, that she was very near the Roman Demigods. Camp Jupiter to be specific. "How did he send me here, he has no knowledge of the Romans... it must be Hades' magic, he knows of this place and knows it is safe for me."
Taking in several deep calming breathes, Artemis focused her energy on Olympus and allowed herself to appear there, moving at blinding speeds she became light itself. Silvery and powerful. Within minutes she was on the Mountain, in front of her brother and father. She collasped, tired from the use of her powers.
"SIS!" Apollo rushed to her, his healing aura immediatley out and radiating throughout the room. " There was a prophecy, how'd you escape?"
"I didn't, Aaron saved me at his own expense. I think he even took up my burden on the Mountian. He cannot last long, he is but a mortal." She gasped as She felt her shoulder's more fully reset into place. "What as the prophecy?"
Her brother instantly started to recite it.
"Five shall go west to the goddess in chains,
One shall be lost in the land without rain,
The bane of Olympus shows the trail,
Campers and Hunters combined prevail,
But a mortal's might shall be revealed
And cause unexpected sufferings to healed
Shifting the status quo
and changing the paths you all will know!"
She shivered, fearing one of the children would die to save her. "They are still after me, to save me... that is why they are going west, for me... The Bane of Olympus, I know what it is. I figured it out through Atlas' ramblings... it's the Ophiotaurus!"
Even her father gasped. "It cannot be, we would know if it resurfaced."
"I don't think so father... The General said something about The son of Posiedon already finding it. He would lead it to Orthyus, weather or not he was aware of it... we must be prepared."
Her father nodded... "We will do what we need to do."
She stopped her father as he stood. "Father, the boy must be honored. He rescued me, damning himself to misery and death. He deserves something, a reward of sorts... and he will be honored."
They had a stare off for a moment before Zeus nodded. "We will see."
She knew that was the best she would get...
Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.
This was fun.
Love, your Ninja Overlord,
Mika.