/Author's Note - Trigger Warning - Sexist comments/zombies hitting on Annabeth and Piper
Chapter 6 - Zombie Dudes are the Worst
We crested the hill and hid in some olive bushes to figure out the situation. Down below us was a giant ghostly party. Having been to the Underworld, well, this was the opposite. These ghosts were alive, active, drinking wine and eating food. In Asphodel, the ghosts wander around aimlessly, not really doing anything, for eternity.
The ruins weren't much anymore. I knew that going into this - these weren't very well preserved. They were a fairly recent discovery, so a lot of it hasn't been excavated. But it was still amazing to see, to think about what it must've looked like. Thankfully, I didn't have to imagine much. Some kind of ghostly magic had filled in the gaps, showing the palace as it must've looked back in Odysseus's time. Gorgeous white stucco walls rose up, three stories high with balconies overlooking the sea and the main courtyard. A beautiful column portico wrapped around the atrium. An amazing fountain sat in the center of the atrium, with bronze braziers on either side. The palace was breath-taking. I almost wanted to thank the ghosts for letting me see it. I tried to take mental notes. Perhaps I could use some of it for my designs on Olympus. Banquet tables filled the space, sitting ghosts of all kinds - there were at least two hundred of them. Yeah, two-hundred to three. Not great odds for a fight. Not the worst odds I've ever faced, though. The ghosts were an unorganized mess - definitely not in fighting shape. Many were chasing the serving girls, which made me cringe, since I was now dressed as a serving girl. I didn't want to have to deal with ghostly advances.
Mostly, they looked like the purple ghosts I had seen at Camp Jupiter. They were like purple gummy-bears - you could see them, but you could also see through them. Some of them had patches of zombie-flesh, including wounds that they may have died from. Others seemed to be alive, with mortal bodies. I wondered if it was some kind of stages of development. Maybe they were like ghost-Pokemon. If they did enough horrible things they could evolve to be zombies, then into normal people. I hoped not.
The ghosts looked like they came from different time periods. Many were wearing togas - not a Greek style at all. Others were wearing business suits, like they were coming from Wall Street. Others were wearing army fatigues. I would not be thanking them for their service.
In the middle of the atrium a grey spirit paraded through the crowd, hoisting a marble statue above his head like it was a prize he had just won. An arrow was stuck in his throat. Antinous, I thought.
"Our next offering!" The ghost yelled. His voice sounded strange - the arrow must've affected him even in death. "Let us feed the Earth Mother!" He walked towards the fountain and I realized it was filled with running sand rather than water. Not a good sign when your enemy is literally the earth. The sand pumped through the fountain just fine - shooting into the air before arching back down into the main basin. The ghost threw the marble statue into the fountain, where it dissolved into a shower of gold, almost the same color as godly blood. Then a second explosion rocked the mountain. A cheer went up from the ghostly crowd.
"Any more statues?" The grey ghost demanded. "No? Then I guess we'll have to wait for some REAL gods to sacrifice."
Everyone found this amazingly fun and cheered and screamed in excitement. The ghost sat down at the nearest table and grabbed what I hoped was a turkey leg, then started to eat.
Jason clenched his walking stick next to me. "That guy just disintegrated my dad. Who does he think he is?"
"I'm guessing that's Antinous. One of the suitor's leaders. If I remember right, it was Odysseus who shot him through the throat with that arrow. "
Piper flinched. "You'd think that would keep a guy down. What about all the others? Why are there so many?"
"I don't know." Maybe Piper had forgotten, but I had kinda spent the last two weeks in hell. I wasn't keeping up with Gaea's plans - I had a lot of other stuff on my mind. I didn't like being in the dark. The crew were all looking to me to have the answers, and this time, I was way behind. They had been keeping on the quest, learning new skills, and I had lost my laptop with all my information, lost my knife, and well, I was playing catch-up on all my friends' abilities, not to mention what was happening on the other side of the war.
"Newer recruits for Gaea, I guess. Some must've come back to life before we closed the Doors of Death. Some are just spirits." I decided.
"Some are ghouls." Jason chimed in. "The ones with the gaping wounds and the grey skin, like Antinous. I've fought their kind before."
Piper fiddled with her hair. "Can they be killed?"
"Not easily." Jason explained. "They're strong, fast, and intelligent. Also, they eat human flesh." My stomach rolled and I wished I hadn't eaten before coming here.
"Fantastic." I muttered. "I don't see any option except to stick to the plan. Split up, infiltrate, and find out why they're here. If things go bad -"
"We use the back-up plan." Piper chimed in. I nodded. I always had back-up plans, but I didn't really like this one. Leo had given us each an emergency flare about the size of a birthday candle. They even kind of looked like little candles. He said that if we needed him, we could just toss them into the air and they would shoot up, alerting everyone on the Argo II to come in with an air strike. At that point, we were supposed to find a shelter before Leo blasted the palace to smithereens with his catapults filled with Celestial Bronze shrapnel and Greek fire. Coach Hedge would've loved this plan.
"Be careful down there." Jason warned us. We split up. Piper went left, I went right, Jason went straight at the ghosts. I tried to walk with purpose, like I was a serving girl who knew what I was doing. I figured it would be more obvious if I crept around. It was tricky, though, because large sections of the floor weren't really there. They were ghostly floors, the same way the walls were. I had to watch where I stepped, which was annoying, since what I wanted to watch was the architecture. And the enemies. But I didn't need one more thing to look at. It was kinda distracting up close to see the overlay. Like one of those old holographic cards - if you looked at it one way, the floors and the walls were intact. If you took a step or turned your head, they disappeared and you only saw ruins and ghosts.
I went up to the first table and began collecting ghostly tableware. I was a little surprised I could touch it. I wasn't sure where I would bring it to be cleaned, but I decided that may be better than pouring drinks for the ghosts. I glanced around. I could see Piper smiling and pouring out drinks and realized I should try to emulate her. She did so well in situations like this.
"Iros! Is that you, you old beggar?" Antinous called out to Jason. I saw Jason's disguise shift slowly, becoming more and more like what the suitors would expect. Gods, I loved Hazel's magic. I used to dream about having the different powers demigods had and I have to say, Hazel's was topping my list right about now. Or maybe charmspeak. Heck, I'd take almost any power. That's the thing about Athena kids, though, we don't really get flashy powers. I shoved away my jealousy and focussed back on the scene in front of me.
The suitors believed that Jason was Iros, the messenger for the suitors. Briefly, I worried. Would Jason remember who that was?
"That's me! Iros!"
Several of the ghosts turned towards him and gripped their swords. I got ready to pull my blade out if there was a fight.
"Guess I'm late to the party. I hope you saved me some food?" Jason called to them.
"Ungrateful old panhandler." One of the ghosts snarled at Jason. "Should I kill him, Antinous?" I slipped my amphora off my shoulder, ready to fight.
"I'm in a good mood today." I heard Antinous say. "Come Iros. Join me at my table."
Jason walked over to him, and more ghosts circled them.
"Bring me some wine!" A nearby ghost bellowed at me. I shouldered my amphora and walked over, trying to not hunch my shoulders and smiling what I hoped was a winning smile.
"Here, my lord." I poured out some of the wine.
He drank it down and gave me a look that I despised. That look where a man is seeing everything about you except, well, YOU. I tried not to glare. I figured serving maidens were used to this kind of stuff. Don't stab him, Annabeth. Don't stab. Don't stab. I told myself over and over again.
"Sweet girl. You spend all your time taking care of others. What say you come to my room tonight and I take care of you?" He asked me with a chuckle.
Bite me. I thought it at him. "Certainly, my lord." I lowered my eyelashes and poured drinks for the other ghosts. I could tell the first man's eyes were still on me, and not on my face.
"Who?" I heard Jason choke. I turned to him as fast as I could without seeming suspicious. I didn't hear the rest of the conversation, but I figured if Jason was breaking character then something was wrong.
"Over by the sand fountain." Anitnous explained with a wave of his hand. I turned to look. A dark-haired guy in Roman armor with a purple Camp Jupiter shirt, Praetor badge, and symbol of the Fifth cohort. Jason's cohort. Not good. Did Jason know the guy? Was our cover blown?
"He's a Roman demigod." Antinous was saying, as if he wasn't a threat. "Lost his legion's Eagle in… Alaska, was it?"
Alaska. The same Eagle that Percy had retrieved. Uh-oh.
"Doesn't matter." Antinous continued. "Gaea lets him hang around. He insists he has some insight into defeating Camp Jupiter." My instincts screamed, RUN!
"But you, Iros, you still haven't answered my question. Why should you be welcome among us?"
I could tell Jason was shaken. I didn't know what his history with the ghost was, but I knew it wasn't good. The Mist was thinning around him, his disguise was dissipating. I knew I had to act. I walked quickly up to Antinous.
"More wine, my lord?" I began to pour it into his goblet. "Oops!" I purposely spilled some of the wine straight down the back of Antinous's neck.
"GAHHHHH!" He screeched, outraged. "Foolish girl! Who let you back from Tartarus?"
"A Titan, my lord." And that was true. Oh, Bob. I dipped my head, trying to seem apologetic. "May I bring you some moist towelettes? Your arrow is dripping." I had to keep myself from smirking.
"Be gone!" Antinous yelled at me.
I looked at Jason. You got this, I thought to him. I hoped he understood.
Then I walked over to the other side from where I came, acting like I was heading to refill the pitcher.
When I glanced back, Jason seemed calm again. His disguise was back in place. I could only hope the ghosts hadn't noticed the shifting form. Or perhaps they would think it was a ghost-thing. I hoped so, anyway.
I saw the ghosts near me jump and turn back to Jason's table. I turned to look as well. Jason had stabbed a steak knife into the table.
"Why would you welcome me? Because I'm still running messages, you stupid wretches! I've just come from the House of Hades to see what you're up to!" This seemed to impress the spirits. I smiled at Jason.
"You expect me to believe that Gaea sent you - a beggar - to check up on us?"
Jason laughed. "I was among the last to leave Epirus before the Doors of Death were closed. I saw the chamber where Clytius stood guard under a domed ceiling tiled with tombstones. I walked the jeweled bone floors of the Necromanteion. "
The ghosts were shifting uneasily. I loved it. Every word Jason was saying was the truth - he didn't have to make up a word. The ghosts probably felt the truth in his words.
"So, Antinous." Jason jabbed a crooked finger at the ghost. "Maybe you should explain to me why you are worthy of Gaea's favor. All I see is a crowd of lazy, dawdling dead folk enjoying themselves and not helping the war effort. What should I tell the Earth Mother?"
I grinned at Jason. Then I felt a ghostly hand on my butt and my smile turned sour.
"Hey pretty lady. Want to find a nice little nook? There's plenty of quiet rooms around here. And I'm sure Queen Penelope wouldn't mind if we had a little fun in her bed."
My blood ran cold. I knew I shouldn't start any fights. That could endanger my friends. But I also didn't exactly want to cheat on Percy with a zombie. Or anyone, for that matter. But especially not a zombie. Wait… just…. Nevermind, you get it.
"Perhaps later tonight, my lord. We can meet at the fountain. It will be much better if I have some time to prepare. I must… do my hair again. Find something a little… less to wear."
He grinned at me, clearly liking that idea. Some guys are gross, but thousand year old zombie guys are an extra level of creepy and gross.
I turned back to Jason's conversation in time to hear him say, "The Acropolis. The most ancient temples to the gods, in the middle of Athens. That's where Gaea will wake."
"Of course." Eurymachus, one of the other suitors, said with his arm around Jason's shoulders, like they were buddies. "And to get there, those menacing demigods will have to travel by sea, eh? They know it's too dangerous to fly over land."
"Which means they'll have to pass this island." Jason pointed out. I hoped he hadn't just given it away - our friends were still on the Argo II in the harbor.
Eurymachus nodded eagerly, and I knew they must have some kind of trap planned for us. "At that point, they'll have to make a choice, eh?" Eurymachus dipped his finger into his wine and drew on the table, clearly showing Jason something. I knew that some serving girl would have to clean that up later.
"The most direct route would be due east of here, across the straits of Corinth. But if they try to go that way -"
"Enough!" Antinous snapped, to my disappointment. It would be nice to hear about each and every trap in our path, so I could work out the best plan.
"You have a loose tongue, Eurymachus!" Antinous snapped.
"I wasn't going to tell him everything!" Protested Eurymachus. "Just about the cyclops armies massed on either shore. And the raging storm spirits in the air. And those vicious sea monsters Kato sent to infest the waters. And, of course, if the ship got as far as Delphi -"
I wanted to thank Eurymachus, but Antinous yelled, "Idiot!" and lunged at him. Antinous grabbed Eurymachus's wrists and a crack of dirt began to spread above Eurymachus's hand. He gasped, "No! Please! I only meant -" Then he screamed as the dirt encased him like a mummy, like Jason had been encased in the Mist mere hours ago. But this was not something gentle like Hazel's mist. He broke apart, leaving dust everywhere. I hoped that Antinous could only do that to ghosts, not to us.
Antinous sat back, as if he didn't care that he had just re-killed somebody. The other ghosts watched him, wary.
"Apologies, Iros." Antinous said with a cold, creepy smile. "All you need to know is that the ways to Athens are well guarded, just as we promised. The demigods would either have to risk the straights, which are impossible to sail, or sail the entire Peloponnese, which is hardly much safer. In any event, it's unlikely they will survive longer enough to make that choice. Once they reach Ithaca we will know. We will stop them there. And Gaea will see how valuable we are. You can take that message back to Athens."
We knew enough now. Time to get out of here before one of these ghosts tried to make good on their offers to me or Piper. But Jason didn't seem inclined to get out of here. He pushed away his plate of food.
"Sounds like everything is under control. For your sake, Antinous, I hope so. These demigods are resourceful. They closed the Doors of Death. We wouldn't want them sneaking past you, perhaps getting help from Delphi."
Jason! What are you doing? End it, let's go! I wanted to scream at him. We knew enough now, no need to give them hints that we were the demigods sneaking past him. I, too, wanted to know what was up in Delphi, but we were really trying our luck now. I didn't know how long Hazel's magic would last. We needed to go, and we needed to go NOW.
Antinous chuckled. "No risk of that. Delphi is no longer under Apollo's control."
My heart thudded. If Delphi wasn't under Apollo's control, how would that be affecting Rachel back home? Was she ok? Did that mean that Gaea could control the prophecy?
"I… I see." Jason stammered. "And if the demigods sailed the long way around the Peloponnese?"
"You worry too much. The journey is never safe for demigods. And it's much too far. Besides, Victory runs rampant in Olympia. As long as that's the case, there's no way the demigods can win this war."
I didn't really understand that part, but I was aware that we were totally out of time.
Jason nodded. "Very well. I will report as much to King Polyphreon. Thank you for the, erh, meal."
The Roman guy at the fountain called out, "Wait."
Too late. I thought to myself. We missed our chance. Every instinct in my body was preparing to fight. I walked towards the nearest table with food.
"You must stay." The Roman ghost said calmly.
"What's the problem, legionnaire?" Antinous asked, clearly upset at this interruption. "If Iros wants to leave, let him. He smells bad."
The ghosts around us laughed nervously. I carefully picked up a carving knife from the table. It wouldn't be as good as my old knife, but it was better to have a weapon I knew well close at hand.
"I lost my cohort twice in Alaska." The Roman ghost was saying. "Once in life, once in death to a Graecus named Percy Jackson."
My breath caught. Always nice to meet enemies of my boyfriend brought back to life. Typically they wanted to capture, torture, and kill me in order to hurt him. Yeah, fun times.
"Still, I have come here to answer Gaea's call. Do you know why?"
"Stubbornness?" Jason guessed.
"This is a place of longing." The Roman ghost explained. "All of us are drawn here. Sustained not only by Gaea's power, but also by our strongest desires. Eurymachus's greed. Antinous's cruelty -"
"You flatter me." Antinous said with a smile.
"Hasdrubal's hatred, Hippias's bitterment, my ambition. And you, Iros? What has drawn you here? What does a beggar most desire? Perhaps a home?"
I could tell that Jason was faltering again. Something was happening that I didn't understand.
"I should be going." Jason said weakly. "Messages to carry."
The Roman ghost drew his sword. "My father is Janus, the god of two faces. I am used to seeing through masks and deceptions. Do you know, Iros, why we are so sure that the demigods will not pass our island undetected?"
It was fight time. While everyone was focussed on the table I went up behind the creepy ghost who had put his hand on my butt and ran him through. No one even noticed, but it still felt nice.
Jason turned to Antinous. "Look, are you in charge here, or not? Maybe you should muzzle your Roman."
Good. I thought. Get them to turn on each other. That could work. Then we can escape.
"Ah, but this might be entertaining." Antinous said with a cruel smile. "Go on, Varus." Antinous said to the Roman ghost.
The Roman ghost raised his sword. "Our desires reveal us. They show us for who we really are. Someone has come for you, Jason Grace."
The crowd parted and a female ghost, shimmering in a strange light, glided towards Jason. I didn't know who it was but I was ready to fight to defend my friends from her.
"My dearest. You have come home."