Apollo and Meg stood outside Nero's tower. In the former god's mind, he had imagined a giant fortress with a moat. A skyscraper headquarters for Nero's cooperate headquarters didn't seem to fit the man.
"How can no one feel the evil oozing out of the building?" he asked Meg.
The twelve-year-old shrugged. "There are a lot of evil companies around the city. One more doesn't make a difference." She looked at the sky noting the position of the sun.
"We have ten minutes to sunset. Might as well get this over with."
Apollo wanted to wait until they heard from the others. Just walking into Nero's home still was a bad idea. It was unfortunate that he didn't have a better plan. "I suppose your right. Lead the way."
The duo entered a massive lobby replica of an antechamber in Ancient Rome. There were of course modern items, such as elevators and a security desk.
Behind the security desk was the plainest and most boring security officer. He didn't acknowledge them at all, finding the game on his phone more interesting.
"Excuse me, sir. We have an appointment with your boss. We're here to surrender to him."
"Names, ID, and sign in, please. Then you can take elevator nine to see the boss." The man didn't even turn around to face them. His indifference was very offputting.
Meg took off her rings and placed them on a tray. The guy reached behind him and skillfully grabbed the tray without spilling the contents. He appeared to study the rings before setting the tray back.
Meg took her rings and inclined her head towards the officer. Apollo placed his ID in the tray and the man repeated the process.
How he knew the former god looked like the picture without turning was a mystery. He gave back the ID and reminded them to sign in.
Once Apollo took care of it, they got into the elevator. There were no buttons yet the elevator started going back up.
"What should we expect when we face Nero?"
"Whatever you think will happen, turn upside down and then pull it inside out. Fa…I mean Nero, plans for everything including the unexpected."
The elevator doors open revealing a smartly dressed dryad. "Welcome! The emperor is expecting you. Do you need any refreshments before seeing him?" There was clear terror in her face
"We're good. Can we please see Emperor Nero now?" he asked.
The terrified dryad led them inside the throne room. Once again, it was clear that Nero was trying to replicate the past.
The room was solid black marble. Sconces were burning on every pillar.
The dryad hostages were serving wine and snacks to the eleven children of the Imperial Household. They were very careful not to drop anything on the Persian Rugs.
Nero had kept up his slavery practice. Regular mortals wore chains around their necks.
They had been branded with the imperial symbol on their cheeks. They were being monitored by over two dozen Germani.
Nero himself was lounging on his purple couch wearing his regalia. Evil was oozing off him in waves.
The twilight emperor was gloating already, ignoring the fact that he hadn't won yet.
"Apollo, I'm surprised that you have come to surrender."
"You threatened to burn down the city."
"Why would that bother you? In your heyday, you enjoyed blasting cities to bits for the smallest of insults. It was prime entertainment. I thought you would enjoy the show considering gods don't change."
Apollo looked the man in the eye and retorted, "I'm not a god. Being mortal has changed my perspective. You lost that perspective when you became a god."
Nero chortled in derision. "How quaint, Apollo. Do you really think spending six months as a teenager has changed you?"
"You're lying to yourself if you believe that. If you were offered your immortality back this second you would take it."
"You haven't learned anything at all. You still let other people fight your own battles."
"You sacrifice your friends to avoid dying. Even your posture tells me that you think you are better than all of us."
Apollo started to take a step forward, but Meg held him back. "You are mistaken about Apollo not changing, Nero. He's become a very good slave."
The former god felt annoyed for a few seconds before realizing the reason behind the insult.
Meg was claiming if he had changed it was because of her. That she had changed into someone stronger.
"My dear Meg. It's wonderful to see you again. It is troubling to see how Apollo has corrupted you. He is controlling you even now with his manipulation tactics."
Apollo snorted and ignored the Germani as they leveled their weapons at him. A flicker of anger registered in Nero's eyes. He didn't like being disrespected at all.
"You dare to mock me? Are you prepared to let the Beast out to harm my children? I thought you said you had changed."
Something inside the being Lester/Apollo snapped. He was sick of Nero's mind games.
He was tired of Zeus using him as a chess piece to keep himself in power. Overall, he was done with people mentioning his past mistakes because he couldn't undo them.
He was trying to change! He was going to be a better father, brother, and friend if he survived this.
Not because it would make him look good. He would do it because it was the right thing.
He hardly noticed that the temperature of the room had risen. Nor did he register the dryads' hopeful faces. All he cared about was being heard.
"YOU ARE THE MOST EGOTISTICAL, NARCISSISTIC, AND MANIPULATIVE MEGALOMANIA PSYCHOPATH WHO HAS EVER LIVED!"
"Your claims of wanting to remake the world in the image of Ancient Rome are nothing except lies to yourself! You care for nothing for anyone or anything save yourself! You don't feel anything because you are a beast!"
"The Beast and Nero are not separate entities. You have always been this monster pretending to be human!"
"The truth is you're pure evil and soulless. A serial killer whose fetish is watching the suffering you cause!"
"When Camp Half-Blood comes to knock you off your pedestal, I hope you'll end will be as excruciating and bloody as the deaths you caused."
"I will probably die today, but at least I can admit the truth about who I was and who I am today! That's more than I can say for you."
No one reacted for a solid ten seconds. Then Gunther leaped forward and used the butt of his gun to knock the teenager out.
"Can I behead him now?" he asked.
"No, but perhaps later you can behead the traitor Luguselwa." Nero savored the sight of Meg flinching.
"Ah yes, your former mentor. I knew she was planning on betraying me for some time now."
"Women are far too predictable when it comes to children dear Meg. You should know better than now you can only trust me."
Meg froze in the spot. She watched helplessly as Apollo was dragged away to the prison cell.
Two Germani grabbed her arms roughly. They dragged her closer to Nero.
"I see your time away has made you forget your manners. I believe you will need a long dose of rehabilitation."
"Casius, please take Meg's rings from her. We don't want her to harm herself after all."
A scared little boy about eight hurriedly took his foster sister's rings. He kept his eyes down the whole time showing how terrified he was.
Once her rings were gone, Meg was dragged out of the throne room. She stayed silent not acknowledging the world around her.
She didn't even react as she was tossed inside her bedroom. Meg didn't bother with the door.
It was locked and all other means of escape were secured. Even her floor-to-ceiling windows were shatterproof so she couldn't use her powers to grow a beanstalk to get out.
For several minutes the preteen sat curled up in a ball. Her mind was asking the same question over and over. Why couldn't she stand up to Nero?
After all these months of traveling, I thought I was finally strong enough to stand up to him! Instead, I froze up and fell back in line.
Lu and Apollo were counting on me and I let them down again.
Screaming in frustration she grabbed the nearest pillow. She tore it in two and proceeded to the next one.
She shredded the bed curtains then looked for something to rip the mattress open.
Why am I so weak? Battling monsters and freeing oracles seem simple compared to Nero.
My mother cursed a man to eat himself to death and caused cities to fall with famines. She can do all that and more.
Why can't I be strong like her? Her immortal offspring are better than me as well.
Meg scooted under the bed and kicked the box spring several times. A hole opened and she pulled out a spring. Scooting back out, she started to use the spring to tear into the mattress.
Her mind went back to her powerful immortal siblings and all they had accomplished.
I met Arion at Camp Jupiter. He's wild and strong-willed. Nothing got in his way when he wanted something.
His twin sister Despoina was clever and sneaky. She had to be since she was in charge of the Arcadian Mystery cult, which was rumored to have something to do with farming.
After destroying the mattress, she took to leaving gouge marks along the walls.
Then there's her other pair of twins, the demigods Eubolus and Chrysothemis. Despite being demigods there now remembered as full-fledged gods.
Eubolus invented the plough and became the god of plowed earth. Chrysothemis presided over the Golden Custom harvest festival on Crete.
Done with the walls, Meg went to work on the rugs in the room. She was determined to slash all of them in half.
Everyone knows the story of her favorite daughter Persephone. Goddess of spring and queen of the underworld. It must be nice for everyone to know your name.
Then finally there is Plutus, God of agricultural wealth. Even though he was blinded by Zeus he still managed to do his job.
I wonder if mom's other children, aside from Persephone and Arion, are still around?
Dropping the spring, Meg surveyed the room seeing what she had damaged so far. The bed was destroyed and the rugs were torn.
The walls looked untouched from the center of the room. The gouge marks clearly needed to be bigger.
Even with the damage the room still felt like Nero's and not hers. Meg couldn't let Nero win.
She had to take charge of something even if it was just a bedroom. "This room needs a full makeover."
She wanted this place to be like her real home in Palm Springs. She thought about what Sonya had mentioned about her anxiety.
She hated big cities because there wasn't enough greenery or open space to breathe.
She searched her clothing, hoping she hadn't lost all her seeds during her jaunt in the underground river. Meg was about to give up when she felt something poking her left ankle.
Removing her shoe, she turned it upside down and a single seed fell into her hand. She didn't recognize the seed making her think it came from the mystery seed packet.
"I hope you grow into something special." Meg poured her power into the seed and set it on the ground. She backed up as the mystery plant came into being.
The daughter of Demeter was shocked by what she had grown. It was a titan arum aka a corpse flower.
It was on the top ten list of rare plants around the world. How in the world had Roman demigods gathered the seed from a plant that only grew in Indonesia?
The corpse flower took up to ten years to bloom. Even smaller was the amount of time it had for pollination.
The stench was unbelievably rotten. It smelled like a cross between rotting fish mixed with feces with a dash of sweaty socks.
It was the complete opposite of Nero's sterile environment. Meg loved it!
"What else can I do?" she wondered out loud. Rubbing her hands together she went to work on claiming the room for herself.
Around the same time Apollo was surrendering, Sonya was having a sit-down meeting comprised of D and C list gods and goddesses.
Apparently, Bronte had rented a community meeting hall for the day.
Sonya could feel the divine power emanating from each of them. It was so potent she felt it could rival the power of an Olympian.
For her sake, everyone was wearing a name tag and what they were in charge of.
The C-list groups were each sitting at a round table along the walls. There were the Muses, Charities, and the Anemoi sitting to the far right.
Closer to the door on the right, were the Graces, Erotes, and the Hours. Surprisingly, there was also a small table for the Keres.
On the left side closest to the door were the sibling groups of Eris, goddess of discord. From where she standing the teenager could see three of the place cards.
The first group was called the Hysmininea, (spirits of combat). The next was the Phonoi, (spirits of murder), and the last table was for the Neikia, (spirits of quarrels).
If she squinted, she could make the place cards in the middle of the left side. There was a table for the Machae, (spirits of battle and combat). There were also a few Litae (goddesses of prayer), and a few of the Menea, (goddesses of the lunar months).
In the upper left corner, there were tables set up for the Asclepiades, the Winged Enforcers, and the Oneiroi.
In the center was a massive dining table where a variety of D-list daemons sat along with some very minor gods and goddesses. Some of the daemons included Philotes, (goddess of friendship), Eupraxia, (goddess of manners), and Coalemus, (god of foolishness).
Some of the very minor gods/goddesses include Herse, (goddess of dew), Glaucus, (god of fishermen), and Macaria, (goddess of a peaceful death).
Sitting next to the podium were Astrape and Bronte. The sisters signaled for Sonya to join them on the stage.
The teenager was extremely stressed out and tried not to show it as she took her seat.
"Is this thing on?" Astrape asked as she tapped the mike. The assembly of gods cringed at the feedback.
"Sorry! Can everyone hear me clearly?" When everyone bobbed, she started her speech.
"Thank you to everyone who came here today. As many of you know, the former Olympian Apollo is on a quest at this very moment."
"From what my sister and I gathered, tomorrow night will decide if he frees the last oracle or perishes in the effort."
"I'm still taking bets on his success if anyone wants to join in!" Zealous shouted interrupting Astrape's speech. His chair got zapped and he apologized.
"As my sister explained to all of you, we have a great opportunity, (yes, I mean you Caerus), for Apollo to owe us a favor if we help him succeed."
A look of anger crossed the goddess's face. "I can think we all can agree that the Olympians haven't fulfilled their promise to us."
"Not only have we been denied recognition for our duties that make Olympus run smoothly, but most of us have not had the representation we deserve."
The assembly all agreed on that point. The demigod children were doing their best to build temples and cabins for them quickly.
The problem was without some godly help, such as having enough supplies or manpower, chances were that it would take a century to finish the job.
"The majority of us are barely hanging on. Some of us only exist because of research papers or our names are everyday words."
Astrape looked at some them sadly. "I know a lot you had demigod children to avoid fading away."
At the Muses table, each of them looked down at the table in guilt. They were supposed to inspire the arts like music and dance.
They did love their children and wished to spend some time with them.
The problem was of course the A and B listers would notice them missing if they spent too much time on Earth.
Sure, they could all split their essences, but it was hard to focus on their children if they were constantly being summoned for other duties.
"We have already chosen Ms. Sonya Blofis here," Astrape said waving her hand at the mortal teenager. Sonya waved slightly as the speech continued.
"To be the final mortal assistance. My twin and I faith she can handle assisting Apollo when this meeting is over. We need to do more to put him in our debt."
One of the Machae, Homados, (battle-noises), spoke up. "What else can we do?"
"Zeus has made it clear he doesn't want anyone to interfere with his son's punishment. What would you have us do?"
"Provide indirect aid for the upcoming battle. A majority of us can go unobserved as we use our abilities to guarantee success for our kind."
"When Apollo hears what we did to help restore his godhood, then he'll have to listen."
The room rumbled as everyone started talking at once. Some were arguing they were too weak to make a real difference.
A few of them called out they would never assist Apollo after the treatment he showed them.
Most of the daemons believed that even if they aided the Olympian, he wouldn't return the favor. He would just ignore them as he always did.
There was also the argument that even if he returned the favor, he was only one out of twelve.
Bronte took control of the microphone and bellowed, "ENOUGH!" The accompanying thunder was enough for everyone to quiet down.
"Thank you. Whether Apollo succeeds or fails, there is still one other option available to us."
Sonya noticed every single god in the room stilled. She was finally going to know what the backup plan was. Perhaps she could use it to her advantage.
Bronte held out her hands in a calming gesture. "I know Plan B is drastic and scary. We only want to use it if we have to."
"Becoming temporary mortals to boost our awareness to avoid fading is a huge risk."
Sonya straightened in her chair. This was the twins' backup plan?
Could anyone here actually use their powers to do that? The better question was would these minor deities be able to change back?
Bronte was trying to assure the crowd that if it came to Plan B it would only be a few of them at a time. The order would be who was in the most need.
She pointed out that they didn't have any options save the continuous cycle of breeding.
Without conscious thought, Sonya stood up and gently pushed Bronte away from the microphone. "Hello, daemons and siblings gods/goddesses. I'm not sure you heard, but my name is Sonya Blofis."
Counting to ten in her head, Sonya forced her eyes to stay open as she looked at each of the deities assembled. "I was chosen to help because my step-cousin is Percy Jackson."
"If you're unfamiliar with him, he is the demi-god son of Poseidon. He was also the one who demanded that everyone here get equal representation."
She waited for the mumbling to stop before resuming her speech. "I will be the first to tell you that I don't believe I'm the right person for the job."
She gestured to herself as she continued. "I am powerless. I don't know how to fight and my anxiety disorder has been a big hindrance to me."
Sensing they wanted her to get to the point the mortal told them her thoughts. Despite all her issues she was still going to help out because each one of them had inspired her to continue.
That surprised everyone. The daemons were used to being overlooked.
The groups weren't used to them being recognized as individuals. How could they have inspired her?
Sonya explained how they had done it. How they were much stronger than they believed because she could feel their immense power.
Collectively their power was more intimidating than Dionysus's. The teenager praised their cleverness as well as their determination to stay alive without demigod children.
Those who had them did their best to show their kids they were loved. She commented on their bravery to even consider becoming mortal despite the risks.
"I know most of you won't believe me, but Apollo has changed for the better. He has learned what it means to be human."
"Being human is more than knowing you could die any moment or having no powers." It's learning to be a better person."
"To demonstrate loyalty, kindness, and compassion to others. Admitting your own inadequacies by letting others help you when you need it. To grow and change each day."
She wiped a few tears from her face. Sonya reminded each of them every day was a gift. That no matter what you had to keep taking chances.
Not to be ashamed of making mistakes. Lastly, letting go of fear and making a mess of your life while having fun.
Astrape patted the girl on the back. "This mortal has spoken great words of wisdom."
Everyone here has to make their own choice. You can leave once I finish speaking and continue with your lives."
"Or you could stay here and make a plan to aid Apollo and his demigod friend. Whatever the outcome, I promise that I will never stop fighting to save us from fading to nothing."
The meeting hall burst into applause. Sonya's words had inspired them to fight for their futures.
The teenager widely grinned as she watched as the deities started coming up with their attack plan.
Back at Camp Half-Blood, Chiron had returned from his meeting. As soon as he arrived, Eunice updated him on what the current situation was.
The centaur was overwhelmed by the news. He summoned the Head Councilors to the Big House for an emergency war council. Camp Half-Blood was going to war again.
Chui, Uma, Miranda, Sherman, and Malcom arrived first. They were quickly followed up by Austin, Nyssa, Valentia, and Connor. Butch carrying Clovis arrived next. The last ones to arrive were Damien, Holly and Laurel, Paolo, Chiara, and lastly Lou Ellen.
"We are facing one of the greatest threats to our world. Emperor Nero is going to burn NYC tonight. Uma received word by pigeon informing us that Nico was successful in his mission in recruiting the troglodytes to assist."
Sherman interrupted, "Are we sure Nico's friends can disable the vats? Maybe a few of my cabin members should hook up with them."
Chiara spoke up, "There are hundreds of underground tunnels. We don't have time to search for them. We should be concentrating on what we can do here."
Their mentor agreed with her. "According to Rachel's note, Emperor Nero is very aware of what is happening at Camp Half-Blood despite his banishment from here. That is the only reason the city is still standing right now."
Seeing he had everyone's attention, Chiron explained the situation.
"Our allies need our help even if we are at a great disadvantage. Nero and his forces have had centuries to hone their fighting skills. With his vast fortune, we can be certain he has the most powerful technology at his disposal."
Malcom interjected, "Nero will surely have defenses outside the tower and in. We need to determine which floors have the greatest security measures. I estimate the floors closest to the residential area will."
Chiron grimaced knowing the boy was right. "Despite the odds, our mission is clear. The camp must breach the building's defenses and reduce Nero's forces as much as we can. Apollo must be the one to defeat Nero himself."
"It will take the whole camp if we are to have any hope of winning. Normally, I wouldn't let the new campers know what is really going on, but I have learned recently ignorance is not bliss."
He looked at Chui and Uma respectively. He recalled how angry they had gotten about being lied to.
"The Acolytes and Champions will accompany you to explain the situation. I trust that you two can help the new campers keep their cool?"
Uma inclined her head. "It is our honor and purpose. I assure you no one will walk into battle emotionally compromised."
Chiron was pleased to hear that. Now came the hard part, preparing for battle. It was time to pass out assignments as he looked at each head councilor.
"Cabin Twenty and Fifteen, you are to work together gathering intelligence on Nero's forces. Once you have done that you will come up with ways to use the information to help us."
A fully awake Clovis and devious Lou Ellen nodded in acceptance. They would do their best to carry out orders.
"Cabin Fourteen and Seventeen, your assignment is prepping the pegasi for battle. We need them in top condition and ready for transporting our forces."
Butch assured Chiron it would be done. He glared at the Victor sisters. He gave them a look that clearly showed he would not be amused if they decided to make this a challenge.
"Cabin Sixteen and Nineteen, your assignment is the run team drills for the new campers. We need to make sure they can work well together and not just with their siblings."
Damien and Chiara smiled at each other. They were going to have a lot of fun together.
"Cabin Eighteen, you will be assisting Cabin Seven in preparing medical supplies for both mortals and demigods. Makes sure we have enough for every camper."
Paolo high-fived Austin. With Paolo helping the medical supplies would stay fresh for longer.
"Cabin Nine will be responsible for forging enough weapons and armor for the campers. You'll also need to make sure the chariots are in good working order. Cabin Ten will assist by getting measurements and fitting the armor on correctly."
Nyssa promised they could handle the workload Valentia vowed that everything would fit perfectly.
"Cabin Six will work with Cabin Five. You need to come up with a tactical plan for hitting the tower. You'll also need to help with combat training. Do you think you can get along for now?"
Malcom and Sherman shook hands in agreement. This mission was too important to let petty grudges get in the way.
Chiron focused on Connor and Uma next. "Cabin Eleven, you will work with Cabin Two after they finish briefing the others."
"Your cabins will be in charge of disabling the defenses inside the tower. Once you have a plan coordinate with Cabins Six and Five."
"Don't worry Chiron. We won't let you down!" Connor replied assuring.
"Cabin Zero and Four, you are in charge of securing the camp before we march out. Argus and the nature spirits will be defending the camp should Nero send his forces here again. They mustn't get through."
"We shall ensure the safety of our patron's sacred flame," Chui promised. Miranda also promised that they wouldn't let the nature spirits be harmed.
"You have your assignments, heroes. Get to work. We march for Nero's tower at dusk tomorrow night. For the Gods!"
"For the Gods!"
Uma accompanied Austin back to Cabin Seven. She questioned him about his new half-siblings. "I know you and Kayla can handle fighting. What is your assessment of your new half-siblings?"
Austin played a short tune with his sax. The tune was uplifting before becoming a downer. "I have no clue. We're not even sure what powers they inherited from Dad."
"Hopefully, their powers will be useful for the mission," Uma commented.
Kayla saw them coming and opened the door. Inside, Gracie, Jerry, and Yan sat on their bunks waiting for information about the councilor meeting.
"I understand you're all anxious to find out what Chiron wanted to talk about with the head councilors. Champion Uma has agreed to help me fill you in."
The trio looked at each other. They didn't need the gift of prophecy to know something dangerous was about to happen.
"Have either Kayla or Austin explained what is happening with Apollo?" Seeing the newbies shake their heads, Uma changed her tone to something gentler.
She told them the whole story about Apollo's trials. She explained that the camp was preparing to go to war against Emperor Nero to prevent him from blowing up NYC.
She did not hold back the dangers they would face or the high possibility of death. Uma went up to each of them and gave them a comforting hug before saying they had the option to stay behind.
"No! If Apollo needs our help then we're in!" Gracie proudly proclaimed. Her siblings agreed.
Austin was pleased.
"Before I tell you our assignment, we need to know what powers you have exhibited. It will help us figure out where you would be most vital once the battle starts. Yan, what can you do?"
"I'm good with poetry. I've written several pomes. I can show you them if you want," the boy replied softly. He wasn't sure how that would help in combat.
Kayla assured him that being a wordsmith was a very useful talent. She then asked Jerry what his talent was.
"The good news, I'm great at making instruments. The bad news, I can't play them very well."
That was a bit unusual for a child of Apollo. Perhaps, Jerry just needed some practice. At least if Austin's sax broke, he could fix it.
Gracie boldly stated that she had minor prophetic powers. She would get glimpses of the immediate future.
The preteen proudly showed off the tarot cards she had purchased at the camp store.
Kayla and Austin looked at one another. They had a lot of work ahead of them.
Two and a half hours later, Iggy was sprinkling ashes from Hestia's Hearth around the Athena Parthenos. He knew the statue was powerful enough to protect itself. A little added security would not hurt anything.
He was pouring the last of the ashes when he heard Peleus growling. Since he was one of the few campers who could approach the dragon without worry, he went to see what was upsetting him.
He slid a bit down the hill where Thalia's Pine stood. The dragon looked over to the boy and then jerked his head towards the barrier. On the other side was a young blond haired woman with two girls.
One was olive-skinned and petite. The other was pale with chocolate brown hair and gold eyes. She was carrying a large notepad.
The woman gave off a powerful aura indicating she was a goddess. The girls had faint auras indicating they weren't demigods. Perhaps they were what the Roman camp referred to as legacies?
The goddess stepped forward and spoke to him. "Young Acolyte, I am Aletheia, goddess of truth. This is my mortal daughter Isra Daimona. Her friend is Quieta Ward, goddaughter of Hesykhia, goddess of silence."
"We aided my cousin Apollo when he came to Indianapolis to fight Commodus. He indicated he would need our help again. Would you be kind enough to let us in?"
The Acolyte of Symbolism blinked. The goddess could appear inside the border anytime she wished. Then again if the teenagers were mortals, then they would need permission to enter.
"I, Ichabod Stein, grant permission for Isra Daimona and Quieta Ward, to enter the camp with Aletheia the Goddess of Truth."
The barrier shimmered and then opened enough for the three ladies to pass through. Peleus sniffed them before laying back down. It was an indication that he didn't think they were a threat.
Iggy asked if they needed an escort to the Big House. Alethea assured him she knew the way. She took her daughter's hand and made their way to the Big House. Quieta trailed after them already writing down questions on her notepad.
Chiron was in the Big House searching for extra paper when there was a soft knock on the door. Thinking it was Malcom he called over his shoulders, "There is no need for decorum Malcom. I will be with you shortly."
A kind voice said, "Chiron. It's nice to see you again."
The centaur did a quick turn in his wheelchair. He rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't imagining the sight before him. It had been nearly two centuries since he last saw Alethea. "Alethea, your alive? I thought…"
The goddess chuckled. "You believed I faded away? Chiron, you should know by now daemons can stay alive as long as our personifications are still needed."
The immortal centaur flushed and coughed hard to cover up his embarrassment. He focused his attention on Alethea's companions and asked for an introduction.
Chiron nearly fell out of his chair when they introduced themselves. It wasn't surprising that one of them was Alethea's daughter. It was shocking to learn that Isra was mortal. Also, she was the Princess of Griffons.
It was shocking to learn that Hestia wasn't the only goddess who was a godmother. Not to mention there were other blessed mortals as well. If they survived the battle ahead, he vowed to learn about daemons' situation.
Alethea and the girls had just sat down to discuss what was going on when Dionysus made his presence known. "The rumors are true. The goddess of truth is actually in my humble abode."
Isra snorted. The Big House belonged to Chiron, not Dionysus.
Dionysus glared at Isra. Alethea wrapped her arms protectively around her child. She glared back daring the A-lister to hurt Isra.
The wine god shrugged his shoulders. "No need to get huffy. I wouldn't have hurt her."
"I find that hard to believe cousin. According to Methe, you enjoyed turning people into grapes over minor slights." The goddess enjoyed watching her cousin twitch at the mention of the daughter he had forgotten about.
"Perhaps you should visit her sometime. She lives in Concord, New Hampshire with your other daughter Pasithea. Last time we spoke, they were talking about a Mother's Day surprise for Ariadne."
Dionysus did not appreciate his cousin's snide comments. "You're pushing your luck with me, Alethea. I'm an Olympian for a reason."
"I'm just reminding you that you still have two immortal children alive. I know losing Iacchus, Telete, and Thysa, not to mention Priapus, to fading was painful. I don't want you to regret not spending time with your daughters if they start to fade away."
The god flinched at the mention of his immortal offspring. "I don't need you taking potshots at me, Alethea. I was going to offer to help," he ignored the teenage girls rolling their eyes.
"Instead, I think I'll go take a long nap. Don't wake me unless my punishment is over." He huffed his way back upstairs and slammed the door to his private quarters.
Chiron ran his hand down his face. He thought daemons were above petty squabbles. The centaur was about to chide her when there was another knock on the door. "Come in!"
Vitas and Sidonia entered the room with a small group trailing them. Sidonia led Brooke and Ulster to a small loveseat. Vitas found some stools for Raquel and her five comrades.
They turned to leave when Maui raced inside. "Chiron! A small band of Hunters has arrived! They said they're here to help protect the camp!"
"Please send in the lead Hunter." He was expecting Thalia but instead got Hunter Kowalski. Isra waved her hand and the girl waved back.
She introduced herself to Chiron and took the last available seat on a floormate. She didn't seem to mind.
Chiron took a few deep calming breaths. Once he was calm, he asked the last few people to introduce themselves. After he learned their names, he asked how each of them had met Apollo.
Alethea gave a brief explanation of what had happened in Indianapolis. Isra explained her connection with griffons. Quieta briefly silenced Chiron as a demonstration of her abilities.
Chiron gestured to Brooke and Ulster. "The Celtic gods wanted to prevent the Roman Emperors from getting any ideas of trying to control their pantheon. I'm a descendant of Cú Chulainn, whose father was the God of Crafts; Lugh."
"I was called upon to perform my heroic duty. I assisted in the battle against Caligula. I used the Water of Life to bring back Jason from death at the cost of his godly powers."
Chiron thanked her for saving the young man's life. Trying to make herself smaller, Brooke finished her story about helping Apollo free Herophile from the Burning Maze.
"I returned home thinking my adventure was complete when I saw Apollo's astral form. I got into Lugh's boat and it brought me here to help."
Ulster gave a loud bark at his mistress. She amended the statement by saying they were brought here to help. Satisfied, Ulster calmed down.
Raquel and Roselyn hurriedly launched into their story. Frank and Hazel were still busy with rebuilding the legion. When Raquel explained her vision to the praetors, it was agreed that Camp Jupiter needed to dispatch a small contingent to aid their sister camp.
"Since I was the one Apollo's astral form appeared to, I was given command of the mission. I brought my second-in-command Roselyn with me. LaShawna, Chesnau, along with Delora and Jaime, volunteered for this mission," Raquel explained as she pointed to each person.
Orbona had transported her charges across the country for them to arrive on time. The goddess had warned them ahead of time that the trip would drain her reserves.
If they survived the encounter the group would have to find another way back home. The former homeless kids weren't concerned knowing they could handle it.
Each member of the team explained their skills and what training they had so far. In one month, they had learned how to wield their weapons properly while building up endurance.
Chiron's felt his heart sink slightly as he finally realized how green Raquel's group was. He hoped that their prior experience would keep them alive during the fight.
"Your name is Hunter, correct?" Chiron asked his last guest.
"Yes," the girl replied dully.
"Maui mentioned you and a few others were here to guard the camp?"
Hunter rolled her eyes at Chiron wondering why he was reiterating what he already knew. "Our Lady is worried about her brother. She can't interfere directly with her father watching."
"Many Hunters dislike this camp but comprehend its importance to the demigods who live here. Our Lady wants her brother's children to return from the battle to a safe place for recuperation"
Chiron was pleased to know that Artemis was looking out for them. "The nature spirits are on standby. Cabins Zero and Four, are shoring up our borders. I suggest you work with them."
"We will get started on it right away." Springing to her feet she left the room to instruct her fellow Hunters.
The others looked to the bemused centaur. Alethea could sense his nerves were rattled by the rush of visitors before being quickly dismissed. She decided to cut him a break and took charge.
She gently suggested that Raquel and her team would benefit from combat training with Cabin Five. The teenager thought it was a good suggestion.
Once they left, Alethea moved on to Brooke and Ulster. It was important for the pegasi not to panic around Ulster. Giving Brooke direction to the stables, the Celtic champion and her companion were on their way.
Isra asked her mother what she wanted her and Quieta to do. Her mother replied that Isra should head over to Cabin Six to help strategize. Quieta was given the task of helping Cabin Fifteen and Twenty.
Once they were gone the daemon asked Chiron how he was feeling.
He laughed loudly. "I'm a bit overwhelmed. In my lifetime I have never seen demigods and blessed mortals working towards a common goal."
"Never before has an Olympian been made completely human. The simple truth is by helping Apollo, daemons and minor gods/goddesses have an advocate in the Olympian Circle."
Chiron hadn't realized how bad the situation was. "I knew the daemons were struggling. When you arrived, I was hopeful that it meant the Olympians were back to fulfilling their promises."
"We shall see," the goddess remarked coolly. "I would love to assist you in any capacity. I shall even enter the fight with you considering I'm responsible for my daughter and her friend."
For the rest of the day, everyone carried out their assignments. Their surprise guests pitched in to help whenever they could. Everyone went to bed that night with jitters in their stomachs.
Come sunrise, everyone was getting prepped for their march at dusk. Aphrodite's kids were fitting the newly made armor on their fellow campers. Hephaestus's kids were passing out weapons.
After delivering their reports, the Hypnos's kids allowed Hecate's to cast spells on them to keep them awake during the fight.
Brooke was helping Butch harness the pegasi to the chariots. Ulster kept an eye on the Victor twins to make sure they remained focused.
Isra and Quieta were in charge of giving each group a medical kit. Once the battle started, it would be difficult to find a member of Cabin Seven to provide aid.
Raquel was giving her group a pep talk. The teenager also reminded them that Greek demigods didn't fight in formations.
The Hunters were already at their posts. The nature spirits were also ready to protect the camp.
When it was almost time to march, Alethea, joined Chiron upfront. The centaur appraised each of the campers. "Young heroes, tonight we march into battle for our future! The citizens of New York City are depending on us to save their homes!"
"Emperor Nero is one of the most dangerous enemies we have fought in the last few years. He knows we're coming, and his forces are ready for us. Despite the odds, I know we can succeed!"
"Lord Apollo is counting on us. Our oracle Rachel Elizabeth Dare is counting on us along with Nico and Will. We shall not fail them! Camp Half-Blood, it is time to march out!"
Cheers erupted along with battle cries. Even Peleus shot fire in the air to encourage the troops.
The Battle for the Tower of Nero was on!