Summer passed and winter came, which meant it was extremely cold out in the ocean. Thankfully my magic wardrobe always had plenty of sweaters and jeans to keep me toasty as I would often go out onto the deck to just listen to the sounds of the ocean. Sometimes sea creatures would dare to come close to the ship and call out, and from time to time I might hear them but I never called back, because I didn't want to give my father any indication that I wanted him watching over me or protecting me. I knew these creatures were sent by him, watching the ship in order to keep track of it, but other than trying to slow it down, he didn't throw raging storms or tidal waves at it. I should probably be glad for that, because if I went overboard then I'd be dead for sure. It was nice to fall into this kind of routine, though I still hadn't found out anything of real value as much as I tried to. I didn't dare pry for information in case it looked suspicious, and the more I gained their trust, the more they were opening up to me. Recently, some of the older half-bloods had started to talk to me about what was going on in the outside world.
I found out that the tree that had almost died because of poison had been revived thanks to Clarisse getting the Fleece back on time, but after a few days the Fleece had done more than cure the tree. It had revived Thalia, daughter of Zeus. There was another half-blood child of the Big Three running around out there. I wondered how Percy felt about it, suddenly having another big shot kid at camp who was one step above us in hierarchy, being the child of Zeus and all. Knowing him and his stubbornness, he probably didn't take it well at first, but I hoped they were getting along together. What struck me, however, was the fact that no one seemed surprised by Thalia's resurrection, as if it had been the plan all along. What had Luke said? That he'd always intended to let us have the Fleece after he was done with it.
I'm not sure if it was the effect of the Sirens' song, but I noticed how I picked up on details faster than before, put things together more quickly. Maybe Annabeth was right and those who could survive their songs did become wiser. I hoped this was the case, because I needed all my wits about me right now. Soon enough things started happening and I noticed that there were a lot more monsters on the cruise ship now, the training effort doubling in order to be ready whilst Luke was absent for long periods of time. I missed him when he was gone, which was stupid because really I should hate him because he tried to kill Percy more than once, but something inside me always glowed whenever I thought about him. Mostly it was sympathy, because I knew that it was Kronos controlling him through his subtle manipulations. I'd started to have dreams too, dreams where I'd be powerful and strong, strong enough to even fight against the gods myself and cast them from Olympus into the pit of Tartarus with a quiet, metallic voice whispering in the back of my head that I could have everything I ever wanted. I did my best to ignore it.
Soon enough I had no idea what the date was or even what day it was, waiting for Luke to return from where he'd gone ashore. I had a nauseating feeling in my stomach and I couldn't help but feel like Percy was once again in some kind of trouble. From what I could tell, we were sailing up the Panama Canal from the east coast heading…yes that's right. We were heading towards California, if my bearings were correct, which of course they were. I had no idea why, or what Luke was up to, but no one was talking about anything much. In Luke's absence training slacked off a little and the ship pretty much became party central for the half-bloods. The monsters kept below decks for the most part, especially in the sunlight if they had an aversion to it, but also because some of them became rather unruly whenever Luke was gone and once or twice, we almost lost someone to a hungry monster looking for a snack. One such incident involved those monstrous cannibals Percy fought before, almost eating several half-bloods after trapping them below deck. Luckily I had heard them screaming and ran to see what was going on.
It was probably fortunate that Luke had felt comfortable enough to return Amaryllis to me without the worry that I'd cause trouble or try and escape, because right then I needed it. Quickly understanding what was happening, I had slashed through one of the giant cannibal monster things from behind, making them howl and drop their half-blood meal before vanishing, and with a shout that radiated with anger and fury, ordered the monsters to stand down. I'd done the older half-bloods a favour and they told me they were grateful, so I made sure that the monsters were kept separate from the rest of us. You'd think that Kronos would at least keep his army from eating each other, but no. I mean it's not like he has anything else to do other than sit and vegetate. After I'd saved the half-bloods and somehow established dominance over a couple Laestrygonians, people started to view and even treat me with a certain reverence and respect I'd never had before. It was addictive. I started to enjoy it, and it was only a while later that this was Kronos's real ploy. He was giving me a taste, and then I wanted more. He was good I'll give him that, and I was so precariously balanced between the two sides that I often stayed awake at night in the middle of my bed, fearing even to roll to either side in case it swayed my decision. Stupid, but that's the point I had reached.
Missing my mom more than ever, I withdrew slightly as I tried to think of what to do but I wasn't clever like Annabeth, or a natural leader like Percy, and I didn't have Luke's experience. I felt lost, and alone, and it really sucked. As I agonised over what I should be doing and what was the right path, we reached San Francisco and docked where the order came for everybody, and I mean everybody, to disembark. The entire army was shipping out and I was too apparently. Luke came back on board in order to fetch Kronos's casket but we only met briefly and he sounded…awful. "Luke! What happened to you?!" I was shocked to hear the difference in him, the weakness of his voice and to feel his previously strong and impervious body seem so shaky and unstable. Whatever had been done to him it affected him permanently, and I felt completely enraged, so angry even that I started to tear up and cry on his behalf. Striding forwards I fixed my arms around him, holding onto him securely whilst reminding myself not to squeeze too hard, afraid he might snap in half like a matchstick.
"I'm okay Lils, really."
"Liar." I accused him but didn't let go. He didn't hug me back exactly, but he did place his hand on my head like a guy would to his little sister. I could never imagine Luke to be afraid of anything, not really, but recently I had discovered that he did have fears, and they centred around the beings that were causing him this misery. When I sensed another presence come upon us I instinctively stiffened as Luke also tightened his grip on me as a drawling voice mocked us coldly, a sense that the source was ancient and vastly more powerful than anything else I had come into contact with before, even Kronos, though he was currently still in fragments so I probably shouldn't discount him just yet.
"Isn't this just touching." I hated this jerk-face already. "So you are the useless child of the elder gods. Quite unfortunate looking, aren't you? Such an ugly face." Despite my thick skin I felt a flash of hurt from these words because it had been a while since someone had come out with it to my face. I quickly hid my grimace however and scowled at the person who insulted me, not knowing who they were or how stupid my next words would be.
"Prettier than yours I'll bet, dog-breath." Luke hissed and suddenly snatched me up in order to pull me away which I blandly recognised as him shielding me as he then hastily apologised on my behalf.
"Forgive her, General, she is impulsive and sensitive. She did not mean to insult you." Well actually yes I did but with how Luke was acting I recognised that now was not the time to be stubborn and wilful. I grit my teeth and bowed my head, muttering an apology which seemed to relieve Luke, though the voice spoke again with tone dripping with threat and coldness that seemed to turn the air around us stale, making it momentarily hard to breathe.
"You would do well to better train your pet, boy. Ensure that she does not step out of line again in my presence, or she will have a taste of what it feels to bear the entire weight of the sky upon her shoulders before she is crushed into dust." The mention of the sky was my first major clue as the figure moved away and when Luke spun me around in order to grasp my arms rather painfully and shaking me until my teeth rattled in my mouth, telling me that I was crazy and that I'd just insulted a Titan. I blinked dumbly at him.
"Titan?" Oh shoot, I was so massively screwed. Anyway my brain started jumping around through all my knowledge of Greek myth and legend until I came across the one about Atlas being punished to hold up the sky. "Was that Atlas?! How is he here?!" Sensing Luke twinge with guilt he didn't answer me other than to say that I should get ready to leave. I had no idea what was happening, but apparently since the army was mobilising, I figured a powder blue fluffy jumper and slacks weren't going to cut it. Back in my room I got changed, asking my closet for something comfortable, warm and easy to move in before knocking three times on it. I'd since worked out exactly how to make the magic work, and now it gave me whatever I wanted. What I pulled out was clothing on a single hanger all hung and folded together so I set it out on the bed and investigated. When I touched it I knew instinctively that everything was black, since that was part of the magic. There was a long sleeved shirt and these trousers that felt soft like fabric but had some kind of fibre woven into them that made them more flexible than jeans and warmer than leggings. I pulled everything on, finishing with a black cargo jacket that only came to my ribs but I had a sense was as strong as armour. Magic really was cool. Anyway at the bottom of the closet I found some leather lace-up boots so I pulled them on before tying back my hair so that it would stay away from my face before then heading out to try and find Luke or at least figure out what was going on. He'd already left, and he'd taken the casket with him and Atlas was gone too. No loss for me there, however I continued to have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach as the others began to organise themselves into ranks and rows.
Hearing the name Mount Tamalpais, I felt a natural shudder run through me. The bad feeling in my gut deepened. The air was thick and almost sizzling whilst beneath me the ground quaked, setting me on edge until I couldn't stand it anymore. I hated being blind because I truly couldn't see what was before me other than the looming presence of something huge, almost like it had eyes watching me. I guessed it was the mountain and started towards it ahead of the army. No one shouted after me or chased me down, so I continued running forwards. I tripped and stumbled so many times, hitting the rocky path and even slammed headfirst into a solid wall, but everything inside me was screaming to get back up and keep going, because the people I loved and cared about were in danger. I don't know how I knew, but I could feel a sort of mysticism surrounding me and swarming at the back of my mind, pale whispers of indistinguishable words urging me forwards so faintly that I couldn't even determine if they were male or female. I eventually recognised the presence of a godly being, and whoever it was, they were adamant that I reached the summit ahead of the army. Suddenly my feet knew where to go, turning me in the right direction and speeding me along the winding path until it felt like I wasn't running at all, but flying. The wind seemed to carry me and rapid vibrations seemed to thrum at my heels, and as the presence grew all the more adamant, I suddenly gasped. "Hermes?" I only dared whisper his name, but once I acknowledged him he vanished all at once as if he had never been there, but still my feet continued to carry me to my target. I could hear voices now, several of them together talking, confronting, and I knew one of them to be Percy's. Amaryllis was in my hand before I knew it, becoming a trident and when it knocked against a rock, suddenly I felt vibrations race through my arm and all at once, an image conjured itself in my head like a spread of ripples, rising and falling with the contours of my surroundings. I had no idea that I could use my weapon like this, but now it opened up another new pathway for me. I kept on running.
Breathless and sweating profusely I raced up the final slope to the summit where I knocked the ground with Amaryllis one last time in order to see a rush of the immediate surroundings jump into my mind, and I could only liken it to the way some creatures used echolocation. This place was ominous, towering peaks above me with a ruined palace like structure atop them, but here upon the summit I focused my attention as the forms of several people jumped out at me. A girl was fighting Luke, I knew the sound of his sword's ring when it clashed against another as well as the pitch of his voice even when grunting with strain and effort. Another girl was on the floor seemingly restrained, though I couldn't tell who they were, but right now the most important focus of mine was the presence of Atlas fighting something that felt more like a shadow yet had the feeling of moonlight upon my face. There was another girl, standing a slight distance away and I could hear the thrum of a bow and whistle of arrows, but it was Percy I searched for, and I found him being crushed under the weight of the sky. A fury exploded within me and I slammed my trident into the ground with a bellow.
