Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter

The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: Symphony of Tempering

Chapter Four: Enemies at the Doorstep

Beta: ShadowofAxios

As Tanya accompanied her business partner Paradigm as part of his entourage as they walked into the Atlantean throne room under a flag of truce to present themselves before their hosts, she had to force herself to remain in character. Why? Well, it was because, much to her annoyance, she was in disguise.

One that saw her dressed in an oversized old-school diving suit with a large, fully-functional conical drill attached to the right arm just forward of the elbow and masquerading as one of her partner's guards. Paradigm might have the support of some gods, but none of them supported her. Gods would be fools to support a god-killer after all.

As it was, she was itching to summon her carbine and open up on all the gods that stood all around the throne room. Killing any of them would be a prize but Poseidon was right there! Killing him would make her century!

"Greetings Lord Poseidon," Paradigm said as they reached the space directly in front of the dias that held the thrones of the Lord of the Seas and his Queen, both of whom looked down at them with open contempt.

"Paradigm," Poseidon returned, his eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here?"

"I am here to propose a deal for you." The bald man said with that smarmy smile that he was famous for.

"Oh? You have some nerve coming here after you assaulted my daughter previously. I've killed for less."

"And offend the rest of the Olympians?" Paradigm asked with a smirk that Tanya couldn't help but share. Exploiting the gods' own petty divisions to their advantage was just glorious.

"Don't play with me." The lord of the seas scowled. "Explain your presence before my patience wears thin."

"I have a way to bring back your beloved daughter, Rhode." Paradigm said with his salesman's smile.

Poseidon's eyes widened in shock, but he quickly recovered and glared down at Paradigm from his coral throne.

"You have my interest," Poseidon confessed. "Explain."

Paradigm grinned, knowing he'd hooked his prey. She had doubts he'd manage to reel him in but she'd enjoy seeing him try nonetheless.

"All I need is some of your divine essence. A specific specimen, as it were, of it, in fact." Paradigm told him.

"What specimen?"

"I need a daughter of your blood. A half-blood will do. And you happen to have one swimming around your court, do you not?"

Outside, the sea churned in reflection of its lord's utter fury. The castle shook from the rocking of the seafloor itself as Poseidon shot to his feet. His eyes had become balls of light and it looked as if his human guise would tear apart at any moment.

"You dare?!" He roared, sounding as if a volcano and an earthquake just went off at once. "You may take this faustian bargain and choke on it, Paradigm! Leave my domain at once. The only reason you live is for whatever small support you have left amongst the gods."

"And not to make enemies in light of your coming war with Lord Zeus." The faded god said as he smiled wickedly.

Poseidon only looked even more furious. Why wasn't Tanya surprised? Gods hated being called out after all.

"But before you kick me out, Lord Poseidon, I do have another offer for you."

"You think I would be interested in anything you have to offer after what you've just said?" The lord of the seas asked, his voice booming with his anger.

"If it means more support for you in the coming war? Yes." Paradigm said, his smarmy smile once more back on his face. "After all, you need all the help you can get don't you? You'll need it to keep your precious Rhode safe, won't you?"

Poseidon looked conflicted. It wasn't hard to decipher why. On one hand, he wanted to kick them out for Paradigm's opening offer but on the other… He was desperate for support in the upcoming war. He hated that they'd threatened his bastard daughter and yet he was tempted by Paradigm's offer precisely because it would allow him to better protect the same illegitimate child.

"Talk," Poseidon said, his anger cooling slightly. "But keep in mind that if I do not like what you're saying, for even a moment, I will do more than just evict you from my domain."

"I understand," Paradigm said with a bow as he began haggling with the son of Kronos.

It seems your prey isn't here, Tanya. Paradigm told her telepathically. I do not sense them anywhere within Atlantis city at all. It seems that my spies were correct.

Then I shall make my move. Tanya replied as a hungry smile spread across her face. I always did enjoy hunting.

Yes, you do. The faded god replied, sounding just a bit unnerved. Go then. I will keep Poseidon distracted as long as I can, but I don't know how much time I can buy you.

Noted. Tanya replied dismissively even as she teleported away, replacing herself with the diving suit's proper occupant, a twisted undead creature that usually animated it. All the whilst sporting a smile that threatened to split her face.

In the kelp forests off the coast of Newfoundland, Rhode was practicing with her magic amidst the 'trees' of kelp and under the watchful eye of her divine brother Triton.

The sea water fueled her, making her strikes all the more deadly and swift. She'd fought underwater dozens of times, but she never really trained under it for such a long time. It was a delightful new experience to be sure.

With a quick twist and a thrust, a Scorpionem Seras (Crossbow Bolt) spell erupted from the tip of Spellbound, hitting a boulder with an arcane bolt of such force that it caused it to explode into rubble.

"Okay, why does it feel like my trident channels magic better than a wand?" Rhode asked, as she eyed the effect of her spell and noted how it was significantly more powerful than when she used her wand.

"Divine metal is a powerful conduit." Triton explained simply. "How could a mortal foci match one of divinity?"

"Good point!" Rhode giggled as she stabbed Spellbound into the ground. "So at least I got some range options outside of my usual ice and water. I wonder if I can mix them all together, like one big hail storm of projectiles."

She pondered this, leaning against her polearm while rubbing her chin.

"Probably not a good idea," Triton said with a thoughtful frown. "At least not without a lot of practice. You'd have to juggle with a lot of different things at the same time if you do. Not sure it'd even be worth the effort to be honest. Might be better to just stick to one thing and just hit your target with more projectiles."

"True," Rhode said as she considered the matter more thoroughly. "It would've been cool though."

"Combat isn't about the rule of cool," Triton said with a chuckle. "Not many things operate on that. Best to bear that in mind, sister."

"I know," Rhode said with a nod, internalizing the advice. "Thanks for the reminder."

"Now then, let's get back to your training, shall we?"'

Rhode nodded and was spinning around to her chosen target to try out another of her spells. She was just calling on her magic when suddenly Triton slammed into her back and pushed her to the ground.

He was just in time as seconds later, an explosion engulfed the space just behind where they were.

"Aw~! Did you have to do that Triton?" A sickly sweet feminine voice said as Triton released Rhode and helped her to her feet.

Rhode's eyes shifted to the direction of the voice even as it sent a chill running up and down her spine like a xylophone. She didn't recognize the petite young girl with blonde hair and blue eyes who couldn't have been older than eleven armed with a gun that was floating in the water a short distance away, but she definitely recognized the sense of power and the killing intent that wafted off her. It was so oppressive that all of her instincts were telling her to run and just get as far away as possible.

"Tanya," Triton said as he summoned his trident and leveled it in a ready stance at the girl. "I take it that you are here to kill me, god-slayer?"

Holding up Spellbound, Rhode asked while keeping her eyes locked on the powerful kid. "A god-what now?!"

Neither Triton or the Tanya girl even acknowledged her, instead the blonde just smirked.

"Did you kill our guards?" Triton asked, his eyes narrowed.

The blonde just shrugged. "If they weren't smart enough to run with the servants? Yeah. You know what they say about a fish's intelligence."

"You will pay for that," Triton said as he surged forward like a hypersonic torpedo and thrust his trident at their attacker.

"That's all you can do, son of Poseidon?" The Tanya girl's voice boomed tauntingly as she transformed into a mass of light and zoomed out of the way of Triton's attack.

Her brother was unfazed however and with a whip of his tail, he sent a vortex of water that spun around the god-slayer as she transformed back into her human form.

"Is this all?" Tanya said as she once more became a beam of light and shot out of the whirlpool.

"I am only just beginning to fight, sorceress." Triton shouted back defiantly, as he pulled out his twisted conch shell and proceeded to blow into it.

The sound that came out was so loud that it had Rhode slamming her hands over her ears and screaming out in pain. She tasted copper in her mouth and trails of blood floated out from her nose. And that was even though she was sure that Triton had protected her from the worst of it. Thankfully whatever injuries she got from his attack were rapidly healing thanks to the water.

Tanya was even more affected than her and she transformed back into her human form, bleeding from her ears, nose and mouth.

"You think sound can hurt?" She shouted despite the pain she must be feeling. Her face twisted with fury as blood streamed out of her body at her declaration. "Have a taste of what light can do!"

With that angry, defiant declaration, she pulled the trigger of her gun and a massive beam of light shot from the barrel of her gun that seemed to consume everything in its path and blinded Rhode.

As Rhode finally managed to blink away the spots in her burning retina, she found Triton struggling to stay upright and forced to use his trident to do so. Thankfully, their opponent looked just as worse for wear. Though worryingly, her body was visibly regenerating.

"How did you get here?" Triton asked, as he panted and his body glowed with his power and visibly healing itself.

"Paradigm," Tanya said with a smirk. "He's visiting your Father's court so I threatened him and got him to allow me to tag along. After all, I can't miss this chance to kill a bunch of the gods at once can I?"

"Triton, who the hell is she?" The half-blood asked as she moved warily to stand between him and their attacker.

"A powerful mage cursed with immortality by the gods for her crimes." Triton panted out, glaring hatefully at the child-like immortal.

"Like a monster? Last I checked immortality was a gift the gods handed out. Why curse an enemy with it?!"

"You'd be right, girl. Most of the time. Gods can get spiteful and creative when they want to. Look up what Apollo did to the Cumaean Sibyl if you ever get the chance. I might've got a raw deal but that woman has it ten times worse." Sneered the blonde immortal. "You see, instead of my soul going to Tartarus after I die, it's stuck to my remains as my body reconstructs itself. I'm aware the whole time but unable to do anything until my body rebuilds itself to a certain point. With no access to my body, I'll be unable to see, hear, taste or touch either. Basically it's total sensory deprivation. Possibly for months maybe even years at a time if I'm killed creatively like that one time when that sneaky half-blood burnt me to ashes and then scattered it all around the world."

"You're chatty," Rhode said, surprised and suspicious.

"Just trying to pass the time as I regenerate." Tanya said with a shrug as she righted herself and rolled her shoulders. "You done healing too, Triton?"

"Yes," Rhode's brother said as he put a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her aside. "Ready for Round Two?"

"Yup," the immortal said as she dramatically leveled her gun at them.

"Rhode, leave. Now!" Triton commanded, his tone brokering no quarter.

"But-"

"No buts! Go!" Triton shouted, pushing Rhode hard and sent her hurtling away.

"Oh no, you don't Triton." Tanya said as she transformed into a beam of light and shot in front of Rhode's pinwheeling body and transformed back into her human form where she promptly kicked the daughter of Poseidon in the chest with both her feet, sending her shooting through the water back towards Triton.

"Would you risk your wittle sister~" Tanya cooed tauntingly. "I have to seal away your divine form somehow. And what better way than to use the little half-blood as a hostage. I mean, one look at your divine form and she'd be up in flames! Like a demigod fishstick!"

"Rhode!" Triton shouted, ignoring Tanya to catch the demigoddess' battered body and gently laying it on the ground and calling on his power to heal her. "Can you hear me?"

"Yeah," Rhode said, spitting out a wad of blood, clouding her weakening vision. Her ribs felt like they'd been shattered into splinters. "I think you'll need to teleport me out."

"Silly girl, you think I didn't seal that first thing?" The child-like immortal said with a giggle. "I'm not stupid, ya know?"

"No, but you will be very dead when I am done with you." Triton said, his body surrounded with an aura of power that writhed angrily. "When this is over, you will take millennia to regenerate."

"It's cute you think that, Nemo." The sadistic immortal taunted. "After this, you'll just be another tally in my kill count."

"Big talk," Triton shot back angrily. "Can you live up to it?"

"I'm sure I can," Tanya replied with a vicious smirk and pulled the trigger on her gun, unleashing a storm of powerful laser beams.

Triton spun his trident, deflecting all the beams heading towards him and Rhode.

"Thekla, Estella, get my sister out of here." Triton said as Rhode's two Oceanid handmaidens materialized next to her and picked her up. "Quickly. I will need my full power to fight the god slayer and I cannot use it with Rhode here."

Am I really that much of a burden? Rhode couldn't help but think as she realized that her presence was holding her brother back.

"Yes, Lord Triton." The two nymphs said as they began to carry Rhode away.

"I like my audience to stay where they are!" Tanya roared with a demented smile on her face, baring her canines and pulling the trigger of her gun once more.

Again a storm of laser beams consumed everything around them.

"You'll need to try something new, sorceress!" Triton shouted back as his power smothered the entire area, snuffing out the immortal's attack through the sheer weight of his power alone.

"It got you distracted, didn't it?" Tanya declared with a demented laugh as she suddenly appeared behind Triton, the bayonet of her gun buried into his back.

"Triton!" Rhode cried out in alarm as she struggled against her handmaidens' firm hold, desperately trying to break free to aid her brother.

"Stygian Iron?" Triton asked out even as he coughed out a glob of golden ichor.

"That's right, I'm going to suck out your very soul, you fucking fish boy! Now die!" Tanya cackled like a lunatic, digging the blade deeper, her smile growing impossibly larger. "Die, die, die! Fade away, you fucking god!"

"Not without taking you with me!" Triton said, as he spun his body around, pulling it free of the bayonet, and stabbing at Tanya with her trident.

Unfortunately, the sorceress just transformed into a laser beam and shot away to safety.

"Too slow~!" The blonde immortal taunted as she shot a laser that blasted away Triton's entire lower body.

"Thekla, Estella, we need to go back! We need to save Triton." Rhode begged.

"We cannot, Lady Rhode." Thekla said, shaking her head. "He ordered us to keep you safe."

"But-"

"And the shot is lined up~" The immortal said as she aimed her gun right at Triton's head. It began to blaze with a blinding light as the immortal gathered her power for the killing blow and she threw her head back in a maddened cackle as she visibly savored her victory.

They were pretty far away now. Thekla and Estella had been swimming hard for a while now after all. And it was starting to be difficult to make out what was happening or what was being said, but Rhode's connection with the sea was strong and it told her what she wanted to know.

And part of her really wished it didn't.

The sight of Triton helpless before the god slayer filled her heart with immeasurable fear. Fear on a scale and scope that surpassed anything she'd ever felt. Even the fear she felt when she'd seen Thalia die. Part of that was because Triton was a god and yet here he was about to be killed in front of Rhode's eyes. But another part, one she struggled to fully admit, was because Triton was her brother.

He was Rhode's sibling more so, in many ways, than Thalia had ever been her sister. And she wasn't talking about blood. Where Thalia had forced Rhode into becoming a duplicate of herself, unconsciously or not, Triton had only ever embraced Rhode for who she was and loved her unconditionally, all whilst gently guiding her to be better and not forcing her.

It was something that had taken Rhode years of fighting her way out of Thalia's shadow and then the loving affection of her family this past few weeks to understand but she'd come to see just how a good, happy family was really like. Thalia had tried, but maybe because she didn't know what it meant herself, she wasn't as good a sister as Rhode's rose tinted nostalgia filled memories saw her as. Triton though… Triton was!

So seeing him brought low like this, of seeing this man who was the best sibling she'd ever known about to die, was terrifying in a way that seeing Thalia's last stand hadn't been.

"I can't let him die!" Rhode roared, pushing pass her fear to raise Spellbound. "Scorpionem Seras (Crossbow Bolt)!"

Empowered by the intensity of her emotion, the arcane bolt that shot from her trident radiated power on a scale far beyond the norm and streaked across the distance between Rhode and her target like a hypersonic torpedo.

Her target was still too distracted with cackling to even notice the incoming spell and did not react until the green bolt struck Tanya in her gun arm. It must have hit just as she was pull the trigger as it nudged the weapon to the side, causing her shot to miss its target and instead shoot off into the distance carving a deep trench into the seafloor as it did.

"You missed." Rhode murmured, feeling drained as she collapsed to her knees.

"You bitch! How dare you interfere with my kill!" Tanya shouted as she materialized in front of Rhode and her handmaidens in a burst of light, her gun leveled straight at them. "I'll kill you for that!"

"Get away from my daughter!" The furious voice of Rhode's father roared as his trident slammed right into Tanya from out of nowhere, impaling her on its prongs and sending her shooting away.

"Poseidon too? My, isn't it my lucky day today?" The crazy sorceress said as she transformed into light and freed herself from being pinned by the Lord of the Sea's symbol of power.

"No, just the day you finally die, you pest." Father said, radiating both anger and power as the water in front of Rhode and her handmaidens transformed into his body, leaving her to stare in awe at his broad, armor clad back as he floated protectively between her and the god-slayer.

He wasn't alone either as what seemed like the entire Atlantean court's worth of gods also materialized around him, each one armed with their symbols of power leveled threateningly at Tanya.

"Tch, too cowardly to face me alone Poseidon?" Tanya taunted as she eyed the assembled gods of the sea warily.

"Whatever, you fish are boring anyway!" Tanya sneered as she transformed into her light form once more, blitzing upwards to the surface.

A number of the gods tried to pursue her but she was literally moving at the speed of light so before they'd even moved, she had already long since made good her escape.

"Rhode, are you okay?" Father - Not Dad, not in the moment when he was being all badass. - asked, worriedly.

"I'm fine," Rhode reassured. "Triton. Father, you need to go help Triton! He's really hurt!"

Father looked up, glancing in the direction where Triton lay and his eyes widened in horror and his face paled in fear. Amazingly though, he kept his composure.

"I will," he told her, his voice wavering just slightly. "But in the meantime, rest daughter."

Rhode wanted to protest that she could do that after she knew Triton was safe but her exhaustion from casting the last overpowered Scorpionem Seras was taking hold and all she could manage was a tired smile as she drifted off into unconsciousness.

Rhode awoke back in her Atlantean bedroom with a start and immediately searched the room for her brother.

"Triton!" She cried out in alarm.

The door to her bedroom slammed open and the aforementioned god of the navy swam hurriedly inside, rushing to her bedside.

"I'm here, Rhode." The god said as he gently took one of her hands into his own and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I'm alright."

"Oh, thank Grandmother Rhea!" Rhode said as tears freely flowed from her eyes. "I was so worried."

"Ssh, ssh," her brother said comfortingly as he pulled her into a hug and rubbed circles over her back. "There's nothing to be worried about. I'm fine."

"Bu- But I saw you get blown in half." Rhode cried out.

Now normally she wouldn't be acting like this. Being all emotional? It wasn't her style. But after what just happened? Her reputation as a bad girl could go stuff it.

"It was only half the Ichor in my body. I'm recovering. Amazingly, gods are made of stern stuff. Who knew." He jested with a wincing smile.

"Oh gods! Are you in pain?" Rhode shouted, alarmed by his wince.

"No, no, like I said I'm fine." Triton hastily reassured her.

"Triton, you are terrible at this." Amphitrite teased her son as she too swam into the room. "Then again, I hear Rhode has a terrible bedside manner too so you two must get it from your father."

"I'm pragmatic with my bedside manner..." Rhode trailed off, looking away from her step-mother.

"In other words, it's terrible." Dad said with a chuckle as he followed his wife into the room. "No shame in admitting the truth, Rhode. Besides, even if we can heal sometimes, the House of Atlantis have never and are likely never will be great healers. It is simply not in our blood."

"What does that have to do with bedside manners?" Triton asked, looking genuinely confused.

"Who knows?" Amphitrite said with a giggle. "Your father's reasoning is quite nonsensical at times."

"Hey! I take offense to that." Dad replied, mock seriously.

He maintained a facade of annoyance for a moment before smiling, earning a chuckle from everyone else in the room.

As the laughter died down, Dad turned towards Rhode with a worried look.

"How are you doing, Rhode?"

"Shouldn't we be asking Triton that?" Rhode asked, glancing over her brother to make sure he was alright.

"I'm fine Rhode, really." Triton reassured her again.

"He is," Amphitrite echoed as she came to sit beside them on Rhode's bed. "Just a little drained after having to regenerate the damage he received in his fight with the god-slayer but that's something a few days of rest will fix easily enough. How about you, Rhode?"

"I'm fine," Rhode told them, slightly confused by their concern. "Why is everyone so worried anyways? I just passed out from exhaustion right? I mean, I was training before this happened."

"Magical exhaustion," Triton clarified. "That can be very dangerous Rhode."

"It can?" Rhode asked, blinking in confusion. This was the first time she was hearing it.

"Depends on the circumstances," Dad said as he conjured a chair beside Triton and sat down. "And just how exhausted the magic user is. It's normally not really a big deal, but-"

"It can be serious," Amphitrite continued. "Think of the time you exhausted yourself almost to the point of death fighting Scorpio."

Rhode shuddered a little at the memory. She had really overdid herself that time. Calling on her practically non-existent earthshaker power simply devoured what energy she had left in her at the end. It had left her so empty that in hindsight she was honestly surprised she'd survived. Thankfully her Dad's conveniently timed rain had saved her.

"Oh." She said, shaking off the fearful recollection. "But it wasn't so serious this time, right?"

"Thankfully," Triton agreed. "But we were nevertheless worried."

"Well, I'm fine." Rhode assured them. "So don't worry."

"We're your family, we'll always worry." Amphitrite said with a gentle smile as Triton and Dad nodded.

The statement warmed Rhode's heart and she felt tears burn at her eyes again. Happy ones this time. But she held them back. If she did cry, she was pretty sure her family would freak out in worry and she didn't want that.

So to avoid anything that might set her off, she decided to change topics.

"So, um, how did that Tanya girl get into Atlantis anyways? She mentioned Paradigm-"

"Yes, the sorceress snuck in as part of that man's entourage." Amphitrite confirmed, shooting her suddenly furious Dad a warning look.

"Tch, so the bastard teamed up with this god-slayer chick? That's gotta put some hurt in his so-called business." Rhode felt a growl escape her as she frowned.

"Not really," Triton said with a resigned sigh. "To be honest, that they work together is an open secret. He has to collect the divine essence he uses to strengthen his clients from somewhere. Who better than the dreaded god slayer?"

"Besides, not many of those who work with him really care where he gets said essence." Amphitrite continued. "So, no, I doubt having proof that he is working with the God Butcher will change anything."

"God Butcher!?" Rhode asked, her eyebrow raised at that epithet. Just what had the Tanya girl done to earn something like that!?

"Let's just say, she is not always clean with her kills." Dad said with an angry growl.

"But enough talk of those two," he said, shaking his head as if to drive off all thoughts of Paradigm and Tanya. He even made a three fingered claw with his right hand and swiped at the air in the traditional gesture to ward off evil. "It's almost time for dinner. Rhode, you feeling up to joining us?"

"It's only us?" Rhode asked, leery of having a formal dinner with the entire court having just woke up. She'd need her full wits for that and she doubted she could manage in her condition.

"Just us family," Amphitrite confirmed.

"Then, I'm game." Rhode nodded. "Just let me get changed."

"I'll help you." Amphitrite said with a sweet smile. "Poseidon, Triton, why don't you go wait for us in the dining room?"

"Yes, Mother." Triton said with a nod as he stood, but not before giving Rhode's hand one last reassuring squeeze. "Come Father."

"See you again soon, Rhode." Dad said with a smile as he followed Triton out.

"Let's get you dressed now, shall we?" Amphitrite said as she gently pulled Rhode to her feet even as Estella and Thekla entered the room and hurried over to the closet to pull out some dresses for their mistress to choose from.

"Thank you," Rhode said to her stepmother. "For everything."

"No need for thanks, Rhode. We're family."

Rhode smiled so warmly at that, that she was surprised the water around her face didn't start boiling.

Done and done! Thanks to Nameless and Axios as always!

I hope we showed a lot of interesting topics with what Paradigm is attempting here. While he has those hostile to him, not many are going against him because bringing back gods from the ranks of the faded is important to the gods. Some probably wouldn't mind sacrificing a few demigods to bring back old friends, but I think it's a private preference not to share out loud, at least.

Nameless: Definitely is. Imagine you saying that and a god with a demigod who might be a target hears you! Instant enmity is the smallest problem that might arise. Then again for many gods even sacrificing their own children might be a small price to pay for bringing back a faded god they truly love.

And Rhode has her first run in with the godslaying loli herself, Tanya! I hope the fight was a good one, it was tough to balance what a god could do with a hostage on-site for him to defend as Tanya went light crazy during it. Still! Rhode got her shot in where it counted so I think that's a small win against a demented immortal.

Nameless: Hope you guys liked the power bracket we put Tanya in. She's definitely god-tier. She has to be to have gained a moniker like God Butcher. But as demonstrated in her fight with Triton and the one last book with Scamander, she tends towards using her brain to win her fights with gods rather than raw brawn. Which makes her a nice little contrast with Rhode who whilst no slouch in the thinking department when push comes to shove is mainly a brawn over brains kinda girl. That and some of the other things we have equipped Tanya with that she's not shown yet will hopefully make our version of the infamous Devil of the Rhine interesting.

You know what to do! Smash that review button and tell us what you love! No flames and peace off my peeps!