Hi there. Another long break, another troubled time, though my health is gettin better every day. Odd as it is to say, when all the world is currently experiencing such troubled times.
I'm still committed to finishing this story, even though it takes me a ridiculous amount of time to finish new chapters. I'm sorry for the constant delays, but I'm done making excuses or saying the next chapter will be finished faster. It's done when its done...
Either way, for those precious few people who are still around, here is the next chapter...
The inside of Ares' temple on Olympus had descended into a wonderful haven of chaos and madness, after the god of war had returned from his latest drinking trip to the mortal world. Between all the cursing, shouting and weapon throwing, Ares' attendants had managed to gather enough clues to realize that it had been a recent duel that the god in such a foul mood, which was odd enough, considering that other than drinking and cursing, fighting was among the god's favorite pastimes.
Most were worried about the god's anger issues. The goddess Eris, however, had no such qualms. With an amused smile she sat at a table inside the temple, sipping a fine wine, as she watched the chaos unfold.
Ares was still buys throwing every piece of his arsenal from one side of the temple towards the other, as his sister, Enyo, chased after him with a spear, screaming bloody murder as she tried to force her brother to stop his rampage.
It was utter madness and Eris welcomed it wholeheartedly.
"Will you stop it already!" Enyo yelled. She was almost hoarse, after all the yelling.
But Ares did no listen to his sister, too far gone in his rage. "I will kill him. Him and those cursed hunters! I will tear them limb from limb."
His rant would have continued, had he not been stopped by a sudden jolt of pain that nearly crippled the god for a brief moment. Enyo had managed to hit her brother with her spear, denting his armored leather jacket just enough that he should have noticed little more than a light pad on his side. Instead golden Ichor began dripping on the ground.
"Just what has happened to you?" Enyo exclaimed, wide eyed.
Ares panted heavily, his hand pressed against his wounded side. "I will slaughter them for this!"
He had stopped for long enough so his sister could reach his side and push his leather jacket aside. What she saw caused her to gasp in surprise. A ghastly wound, charred flesh, half cauterized but still fresh enough for the golden lifeblood of the god to escape his body.
Her friend's sudden distress had even roused the interest of Eris, so she joined Enyo at Ares side. But unlike Ares' sister, she showed neither surprise nor shock. Eris simply frowned.
"He has gotten much stronger," Eris mused.
"He?" Enyo demanded to know.
"Percy Jackson, Apollo's favorite toy soldier."
No, Eris corrected her own thoughts, Jackson wasn't Apollo's servant any more. He has a greater master now. A queen worthy of such a title. Queen Rhea had done well in grooming the boy, if Ares' wounds are any indication. The boy was still so very young, but he had already managed to ensure that the gods would remember his name for a long time. But Jackson was one of many pawns in the queen's game... and Eris knew that the time to chose a side would run out very soon.
"Bring my brother some Ambrosia," Enyo barked at the servants.
All those who could, had already fled the room, but the few that remained cowered behind furniture and statues to escape Ares' wrath. When one of them, a nymph barely half the size of the god, finally arrived with a bowl of Ambrosia, everyone could see the fear in her deathly pale face and wide eyes.
But Ares had no interest in any of his servants. Instead, he grabbed a hand full of Ambrosia and shoveled it into his mouth. The food of the gods would merely hasten the healing process, not heal the wound entirely.
Oh no, Eris though smugly, his wound would bother the god for quite some time. By the way the charred flesh looked, the fire used to cauterize the wound was anything but normal. A flame that a mere son of Poseidon should not possess... Ares would keep a reminder of this battle for the rest of his life. But at the very least, the Ambrosia will dull the pain and hopefully soothe the mind of Ares enough to quell his rage. If not, the god will soon run out of weapons to throw and servants to scare. Once that happens, Ares will leave Olympus to do two things. Kill a lot of things and sire more demigods to ignore until he would throw their lives away in some senseless war.
"Just how did a mere demigod manage to wound you like this?" Enyo asked her brother, "You underestimated him, didn't you?"
"He cheated. That bastard cheated! He had help," Ares growled.
Enyo and Eris shared a look of concern. They had seen the telltale signs of Helios' flames. The cauterized wound could only lead to one conclusion. Apollo had somehow interfered in the fight. One brother raising his arms to hurt another... Apollo had finally raised his weapons against Olympus and attacked his own brother. It was the only logical explanation.
"Atalanta..." Ares grumbled, "I will find her and I will make her pay for interfering. She will beg for mercy when I'm done with her!"
"Atalanta? Impossible... that insufferable woman has been dead for ages," Enyo exclaimed.
"Not yet." Ares growled. It was a promise, the promise that he would be the one to kill her.
But not everyone in the room shared his dark thoughts.
Another powerful piece in the queen's ever growing collection... Eris really didn't like how the future seemed ever bleaker with every day on Olympus...
"But Atalanta does not command Helios' flames. How did you get that wound?" Enyo demanded.
"Jackson," Ares grunted, "He..."
"Forgive me, my lord, but Lord Zeus has called you for a council meeting." Iris appeared in the doorway of Ares' temple, ever careful to keep her distance from the dangerous god. Not too far away to be considered rude, but far enough so she could escape if need be. "Your presence is required."
Not requested, required. Whatever had happened this time, the big boss saw the need to emphasize that attendance is not optional. That alone disconcerted Eris even more than the sudden revelation that Queen Rhea's favorite demigod can wield the powers of not one but two gods with enough strength to leave a lasting wound on an immortal.
Ares just left. He ignored Enyo's angry protests and her demands for an explanation.
"Ares is such a fool," Enyo complained, "Whatever has happened, it is impossible that a mere demigod has wounded him like this. Apollo has finally shown his true colors..."
"No," Eris said, as she shook her head softly, "It actually makes sense. Apollo is too much of a good guy to actually interfere. Not to mention that he now serves a new master who does not allow him to do anything foolish."
"What are you talking about?" Enyo demanded, her voice harsh and eyes blazing with fury.
Enyo's temper was getting troublesome again. She was so much like her brother in that regard. Strength and fury, only that Enyo had inherited more brains than her twin, not that she knew what to do with the increased mental capacity.
"Not here, not now," Eris cautioned, "Let's just say that my newest toy has told me some very curious things. But for now, let's go to the throne room. Let's hear what Zeus' newest night terror is all about."
"Be any more annoying and I swear I will beat..."
"Hush now, come, Enyo. I'm curious," Eris said, "And so are you. I will tell you the rest later."
"You better..." Enyo grumbled, before she followed Eris to the throne room.
Once all the gods had left, the remaining occupants of the temple breathed a relieved sigh, glad that they had survived the madness of their masters...
Thrinacia, holy land of the Titan Helios. Lush and green. Away from the troubled life of modern society and the feeble games of golden Olympus. Since the days Odysseus companions had angered Helios, there had been no recorded visitors to the island. Or at the very least, none that had survived for long enough to share their tale.
Now, however, a certain daughter of Hecate had arrived under the cover of a cloudy night. Lou Ellen had come to the island under Apollo's orders, to find a missing friend.
Lou knew that the other place her sister had suggested to Apollo had been a dead end. Circe always presents a lie to every truth she tells, a lesson Lou had learned early in her grueling apprenticeship to her famous sister. Not to mention that Lou had been present during Eos last surprise visit to Circe's Spa and though she was forbidden by oath to reveal anything that had happened on the island during her training, that oath did not keep her from coming this island to hunt Eos down.
It was fortunate that Apollo had tasked her with coming here, while he searches elsewhere for his precious daughter. But it was not unexpected. Far from it. Even so long after the passing of Helios, Apollo's respect for the Titan kept him from entering the sacred lands of his predecessor.
But there was nothing to keep the apprentice of the mighty Circe away. Lou had almost laughed, when she had arrived at the island without facing any resistance at all. Undue worship and foolish superstition had scared a god away, but it couldn't deter a witch.
There was no magic here, no traps, no monsters. Not even Helios' two daughters, who were said to guard the island jealously, were anywhere to be seen.
Helios' sacred herds, however, could been seen everywhere. Seven herds of sheep and seven of cattle. Killing some of the animals had lead to the deaths of Odysseus entire crew, so no one would ever dare to harm them ever since. But luckily Lou had no interest in the animals, so she wouldn't share the fate of Ithaca's foolish sailors.
The animals did not seem bothered at all, as the witch followed the winding paths that lead from the lower pastures to the center of the island. There she found something she had not expected to see on this island. Demigods...
Lou cast several spells on herself, to hide her presence and slowly approached the guards. Armed with shields and short swords, the two demigods seemed to be patrolling the island. Whatever the Titans were hiding on this island, it was obviously worth wasting manpower to guard it.
"This is so boring," one of the demigods complained. "I joined because Castellan said that I would get to fight a lot. But all we are doing here is stand around and watch that lunatic run in circles."
"Shut up," the other guard growled, "Seriously, all you Ares blockheads can think about are quick ways to get yourselves killed."
"Say that again, asshat!"
"Go and jump from a cliff, I'm just happy that we don't have to stay with that monster they call the General. Kara was with them for a month but when I saw her again she was... just broken... I wish we could just go home and forget this bullshit..."
"You're such a chicken," the other demigod laughed. "Go home and cry all you like. I want to fight someone!"
For a brief moment Lou was tempted to fulfill the wish of that traitor. She remembered his face. A few years ago he had been a rather infamous member of the Ares Cabin at Camp. One who could start a fight even in an otherwise empty room. But his name eluded her, not that it mattered in the long run. Fools like him did not live long. His loyalty to Kronos and his monsters was likely the only reason this particular demigod had managed to live this long.
In the end, Lou kept her distance from the two and ventured further inland. She could only wonder why those two had been sent here, but they mentioned Luke Castellan, the leader of Kronos' demigods, so it was obvious which side the belong to.
The witch had to dodge three more patrols, as she neared the heart of the island. The closer she got, the more hostile demigods she encountered. She stopped counting after forty, as there were just too many to bother with the exact numbers.
Lou had known before that the population of Camp Halfblood had split into several factions due to the impending war, but seeing the sheer number of demigods serving Kronos was still quite shocking. Not to mention the many unknown faces among this group. Lou had always prided herself with her excellent memory, but she was sure that many of the demigods on this island had never been to the Camp. At least not while she had been present there.
There had always been whispers. The ones who had suffered a worse fate than even the unclaimed. The Forgotten. Demigods the gods had never bothered with. Children that never even got the chance to visit the camp and learn to defend themselves...
Finally, Lou saw what she had come for. The enemies' base on this island. A large palace like structure, looking just it had just sprung from Homer's Iliad. Surrounded by many small huts and large pastures, the palace sat on top of a small hill, not far from the only mountain on the island.
"Circe would kill to get her hands on a palace like that," Lou muttered. She grinned as she thought of her sister and her obsession with possible new locations for her Spa. For obvious reasons, the elder daughter of Hecate had no desire to stay on the small island in the Sea of Monsters.
And technically, this island already belongs to Circe, Lou realized. It had been Helios' sacred island before and the Sun Titan had been Circe's father... so all the witch would have to do is find a way to deal with her other troublesome half-siblings on Thrinacia.
But getting into the palace would pose a big problem. There were guards everywhere and this time there were not just demigods, but some monsters as well. The Minotaur sat in the shadow of a tree next to the outer wall of the palace, munching on something that looked suspiciously like raw meat, while Cyclopes and even worse creatures roamed the area...
She was close to something big, that she was sure of. But for the next step, patience would be needed. She would have to be calm and collected, waiting for her chance. So she hid in the shadows, biding her time. A chance would present itself, she was sure of it.
Hephaestus watched the council chamber in growing worry, as one after another his family members arrived to take their places. The atmosphere was tense, more so than it had been during the time his father's symbol of power had been missing. And this oppressive atmosphere weighed heavily on the minds of everyone present.
Dionysus looked oddly somber. It was obvious to Hephaestus that his half-brother would much rather be somewhere else, preferably piss drunk as well. But he had to attend, willing or not. Camp Half-blood was an utter mess at the moment. Countless demigods had disappeared and Dionysus, as leader of the Camp, would be held responsible for this.
On the other side of the room, Hephaestus could see his aunts conversing in hushed voices. Demeter was casting careful glances around the room as if she was waiting for something very bad to happen.
Hera, meanwhile, had a thunderous look upon her face, as she discussed with Hestia. The latter tried to calm her sisters, but obviously without much success.
Athena sat on her throne, looking smug like the cat that got the canary, as she read a book.
Only when Ares arrived, all attention in the room shifted towards him. The war god tried to hide it, but he was limping slightly and had trouble sitting upright. Something was bothering him greatly. What wound could impair a god of war and master of carnage?
"What has managed to mangle you, brother? Lost a tussle against our dear sister Enyo?" Hermes was the only one who had the guts... or rather the lack of care, to ask Ares such a question. He had either not seen the utter rage on Ares' face and the wildfire in his eyes.
Ares did not answer with words, but the furious look he sent Hermes promised a world of pain. Hephaestus was sure that in his current mood, Ares wouldn't mind committed fratricide. It was only due to Aphrodite's timely arrival and her full effort to calm Ares down, that violence could be avoided.
Hephaestus sighed deeply. He didn't want to be here either. But at the very least none of his family member's cared enough about him to come and bother him. Staying out of this drama would be the best he could do.
Only four thrones remained empty. Four important thrones, though each for a different reason.
Zeus was still absent. Hephaestus was sure that his father was due to arrive any minute. But whatever had kept him away, it was surely the reason for this emergency meeting.
Another conspicuously absent family member was Poseidon. Zeus and his older brothers had never seen eye to eye, but the relationship between Zeus and Poseidon had become so cold, a holiday in the arctic would seem like a warm breeze in comparison.
And then there were the last two. The twins. Artemis was still missing. Capture by some unknown enemy. The quest to save her was still on its way, but not many had any hope that the demigods would succeed...
Apollo had sworn to save his sister, no matter what. His own champion was leading the quest after all. But now that Apollo was not even present for this meeting... it could only mean that the rift between Zeus and his most powerful son could no longer be healed.
This caused Hephaestus no small measure of grief. Apollo was one of the few who had ever treated him like family. Whereas his own mother had thrown him off Olympus, Apollo had been there to support his brother. Where Athena had looked upon her disfigured brother with disdain and pity, Apollo had made bawdy jokes and dragged Hephaestus to bars.
If Zeus' argument with Apollo turned violent, Hephaestus would not know which side to stand on. What weighs heavier? Loyalty to the father or loyalty to your dearest brother?
Thunder rumbled through the council chamber, as Zeus made his entrance. His arrival was no less tumultuous than Ares' had been.
Athena was by her father's side, just as the king of the gods had sat down upon his throne. She took hold of his right hand and placed a kiss upon his knuckles. It was a show, no doubt about it. Her way of showing everyone her loyalties. When Zeus patted her cheeks in an almost fatherly gesture, she couldn't contain the self-satisfied glint in her eyes. Everyone in the council chamber had seen it. The very gesture that ensured that she would be the one closest to Zeus. Athena would be the most powerful... and that alone was a disturbing thought.
"Father, why have you called us all here?" Hermes demanded to know. "I had just met the most wonderful mortal woman in Paris, when Iris butted in like a cheated wife to drag me away."
"Spare us your insolence, Hermes," Athena chided him, as she returned to her throne.
"I was not talking to you, sister," Hermes rebuked.
"Silence," Zeus thundered. "Ares, move forward and show them the wound."
So this all was connected to Ares' sorry state, Hephaestus mused. As soon as Ares had reached the center of the chamber, he shrugged off his leather coat. What he revealed explained more than a thousand words could have done. A gaping wound, ripped open and charred, could be seen. But a normal fire would not have been enough to damage a god like Ares... The conclusion was damning... And Hephaestus did not like the obvious answer one bit. The consequences would be... dire.
"How is this..." Hermes gasped, as he stood next to Ares and inspected the wound. "What kind of monster have you run into, brother?"
"Isn't it obvious," Athena snarled. "There is only one among us who has command over the eternal fire like this. The only one who is conspicuously absent today."
Apollo... But Hephaestus knew that there were others besides Apollo who can command such fire. Even those with less control could do something like this. Hestia was one those, though the mere thought that the most benevolent of the elder gods who attack anyone was ridiculous.
"This is preposterous. Apollo would never do such a thing! He isn't a traitor!" Hermes hollered. "Never has he done anything that would harm Olympus or go against its laws! Unlike certain other people present." At the last part Hermes stared at Athena, whose gaze had turned cold.
Something was odd, however. Why was Ares so silent. The war god was usually one of the loudest and most foul-mouthed members of the council. Shouldn't he demand Apollo's head? To remain absolutely silent was certainly out of character for him. Had that spell Aphrodite had cast on the god to calm him down been too strong? No, Hephaestus was sure that his unfaithful wife would have lifted the spell by now. The goddess has no interest in politics. Her manipulations are only meant for her own amusement. War isn't her pastime, so she wouldn't benefit in any way from having Ares incriminate Apollo like this.
"Of course you would defend your brother, Hermes," Athena began, the tone of her voice as condescending as can be, "Apollo and you have always been close. Very... close."
"Quit your games, Athena. What are you insinuation? That Apollo and I are traitors? That everyone here tries to usurp our father's throne?"
"It is within our family's nature, after all. Sons coveting their fathers' powers. Rebellion and strife. You may lack the power, Hermes, but Apollo has certainly inherited great powers. Not just from not his parents." She pointed towards Ares charred flesh, as her gaze roamed the council chamber. She looked at the faces of every single god present before she continued. "One of these many powers are Helios' flames. A fire that can even destroy an immortal."
"Do you even hear your own insane rambling, sister?" Hermes growled, "Father, I implore you not to listen to this. Apollo and I have always been faithful to you. Your enemies have always been our enemies. You know us! We are your sons!"
"Yet you stand here, while Apollo hides. You speak of loyalty, when your children and those of Apollo have abandoned Camp Half-blood. Many demigods have been seen fighting against those loyal to Olympus. Some of Artemis' own hunters have died at the hands of such traitors. You always say you love your children and in return they love you as well. Then how comes that all of them have turned rogue in the span of less than year?"
Hermes wanted to rebuke his sister, to protect his children's honor from her accusations. Fear of war had caused his children to run, not disloyalty. Hephaestus had heard all about it from one of his children at Camp. But Athena wouldn't let Hermes say a single word now...
"And let's not forget that it was one of your sons who had stolen our father's symbol of power!"
Hephaestus listened in silence. He wanted to do something, something to stop this stupid charade. But he couldn't think of anything to say. Athena had a point. Her words weren't wrong, and the more one looks at recent events, the uglier the bigger picture becomes. But he also knew his brothers. Neither Apollo nor Hermes had it in them to betray their family willingly.
"Father, this is madness! Please tell me you are not willing to believe this!" Hermes tried to move towards his father, but he barely managed to make one step before Ares had caught up to him and punched him hard enough to send him to the ground. Even in his wounded state, the god of war was still a force to be reckoned with.
"I've heard enough," Zeus thundered, "From all of you. After all I've done for you ungrateful children. If this is how you repay me? Do not dare to complain when you reap what you've sowed," he had his Masterbolt in his hands and he jumped from his seat. Hera tried to hold him back for a brief moment, before the sheer rage on Zeus' face caused her to pause. "This ends now. I'm done coddling all of you. For years some of you have claimed that a war is brewing in the shadows. For years I've tried to keep the peace. But no more. You want my throne, step forward and demand it!"
The entire council chamber was silent as Zeus' had finished his declaration. None of them dared to challenge their king when he was in such a frenzied state. All gods present avoided Zeus' eyes, some even cowering ever so slightly on their thrones. The entire room was a powder keg and all it would take for the situation to explode would be slightest spark of resistance. Only when Zeus quickly left the room, the other gods dared to speak again.
Ares laughed cruelly, as he looked at the shocked faces of his family around him. Of all the gods, he was the only one who would be happy about a war. "And so it begins," the god of war commented with a disturbing grin.
Hermes was still on the ground, holding his head. Golden Ichor escaped a wound on his head, where Ares had hit him before. His eyes, however, were focused on Athena.
"Sister," he croaked, "what have you done?"
"What needed to be done," Athena replied harshly, "What none of you had been able to do!" The goddess looked around the room, undisturbed by the glares directed at her by some of the other gods and goddesses. "Unlike you, I finally convinced our father that war is necessary."
"But Apollo has done nothing wrong!" Hermes yelled, "He is trying to save this world!"
"Stop lying to yourself, Hermes. Treachery runs in the blood of all the men in this family. Sooner or later blind ambition will overrule all common sense and the we all will bleed for it. Apollo has too much power and too little brains. No to mention that he has already chosen to stand against us. I will not stand by and watch as his idiocy leads to the downfall of Olympus."
"You are insane!" Hermes exclaimed.
Athena only spared him one short disdainful look. "Far from it, brother. I have watched you all very carefully. There is little you have managed to keep from me. I will save Olympus. And if that means that I have to destroy my own brothers to do it, then so be it." She exclaimed firmly. There was little doubt of her conviction. "Ares, do as you've been told. Hermes is an enemy of Olympus. There is only one place for traitors like him..."
"You can't just..." Hermes began, but Ares quickly shut him up. Another blow against his head was enough to knock the god out cold.
Most other gods had already fled the chamber, as Ares dragged Hermes away. Soon enough it was only Hephaestus and Athena that were left in the room.
"And you, brother?" Athena asked, as she cast her judgmental gaze in his direction. "What will you do?"
"What I always do," Hephaestus replied, his voice tired. "I will return to my forge. Keep me out of your madness."
"I will call on you soon, brother," Athena said. "Be sure to answer swiftly or else..." There was no need for her to finish her threat.
What day was it again? She can barely remember. She had stopped counting already, after her first week as the honored guest of the insane Titan Eos and her equally insane and infinitely more abominable father Hyperion.
While they had stopped tying her to a chair after a day or two, they had still confined her to a room without windows and a single, heavily guarded door. It was a relatively large room, with a comfortable bed and a roman style bath. It was definitely not the worst kind of prison she could have ended up in, but the total lack of daylight was still wearing her down. Children of Apollo need the sunlight like they need water and food. Being kept away from it...
Ariadne couldn't even say whether they had stuck her in a room above or below ground. Was this a cellar? That would be so cliche...
The door to her room opened. Was it time for dinner? Or was it breakfast? Just thinking about it made her head hurt.
She caught a short glimpse of the corridor outside her room. It was dimly lit, with a group of demigods loitering around just outside. Only one entered. A familiar face.
"Lucia!"
The former huntress smiled warmly, as she approached Ariadne. "You look terrible, Ariadne. It would seem that my family are not very good at being gracious hosts."
"Your family?"
Ariadne was stumped by this sudden claim. She had only known Lucia as a fellow huntress. The older girl had always frequented other circles within Artemis' extensive entourage. While Ariadne had mostly spent her time with Zoe, who had trained her, and some of the younger hunters, Lucia had been a guiding figure among the older, longer serving girls in the goddess employ. But every hunter knew Lucia. The guiding light, the one always went out to guide those who had lost their path back to the Hunt. For her to be here...
"I suppose there are some things we need to talk about, my friend," Lucia said.
She took off her long coat and threw it to the side, not realizing that it had hit something else before it landed on the floor. But Ariadne had seen it, though she tried not to alert Lucia to whatever was in the room with them right now. Another monster perhaps?
Yet her musing was cut short when Lucia's hands reached for the necklace that was now visible. A strangely shaped golden disc, no bigger than a Quarter, hanging from a golden chain. As soon as Lucia had removed it from around her neck, the elder girl began to change. She aged from a girl of sixteen to a woman in her mid twenties. Her long hair, pale blond, nearly white before, suddenly shone with the same golden luster as Ariadne's own. It shone as only the hair of those touched by the sun would. And her amber eyes were glowing with the unbridled power of an immortal...
"What are you? A goddess in disguise?" Ariadne asked.
Warmth spread from Lucia, as she slowly approached Ariadne. And just by looking at her, Ariadne felt her tiredness and weakness melting away, as if she was looking at the sun's light.
"Don't be alarmed. In a way we are sisters. Or at the very least, we are very close to that," Lucia told her. "There is something I have never told anyone, not even Lady Artemis when she still had my trust. She suspected, of course, but never called me out on it."
"What are you?" Ariadne asked again, "Who are you?"
"I am my father's light.c I am Lampetia, daughter of Helios and Neaera," the woman replied.
Ariadne could only gape at Lampetia. Never before had she ever suspected that Lucia could have been more than a very old and very capable huntress. No one could have ever predicted that there was a daughter of Titan hiding among Artemis' servants.
"It is obvious that this surprises you. But do not be alert, I mean you no harm. I... am not like my aunt or my grandfather."
"Then let me go!" Ariadne demanded immediately. "You say you are not like them, then let me out of here!"
Lampetia shook her head, a sad sigh escaping her lips, "I'm afraid I can't do that. My grandfather wouldn't allow it and I don't have the power to deny him. But I am here to help you in any way I can."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why do you help me when you say that your grandfather doesn't want it?"
Lampetia laughed lightly. "I think this requires some more explanation. Do you remember what you've heard about me? About my reason to join the Hunt?"
Ariadne had to think for some moments. Most of her former sisters in the Hunt had been tight lipped about the events that had brought them to the goddess. Only the more prominent members were often the topic of gossip and rumors. Lucia, the Light of the Hunt, was one of those. But it was still difficult not to mix up the stories of the others.
"You've fled from someone... back in the fifteenth century? Or was that someone else?"
Lampetia's smiled remained unwavering. "You are right. That is what everyone was supposed to believe. Even Lady Artemis had believed that story. I had been in Rome during that time and I had gained the attention of someone very powerful who just wouldn't accept no as an answer. That I happened upon Artemis on that fateful day was an unplanned complication. That I would stay with her for over five centuries... I really don't know what madness had befallen me to stay. Though it had lead me to my original target."
"What target? Kronos and his lackeys?"
"Spare me your disdain, little moon," Lampetia chided. "I had been doing what most of my family had done for the last few centuries. I had been searching for Selene. My aunt's disappearance was most suspicious. What an irony that I ended up spending centuries with her impostor, only to stumble upon the first real clue to my aunt's whereabouts. You!"
"I... why does everyone know more about my mother than I do? No one has ever told me the truth. Not my dad, not my aunt... not even my mom herself," Ariadne lamented. Coming to terms with the fact that her mother had not been mortal but a Titan instead had been... difficult, to say the least. She wasn't even sure what she was. Not a demigod, that's for sure. But what else? A goddess? A Titan? A Nymph? So many questions, but no answers.
"Chin up, little moon. I'm here to help and..."
The door behind them opened suddenly and one of the demigods entered. The girl whispered something to Lampetia, before she quickly ran out and closed the door behind her.
Lampetia shook her head in an obvious display of dismay. "So typical. It would seem that me removing the medallion that sealed my power has caused our crazy aunt to... become problematic. She can feel my father's power in me and is now causing trouble for everyone. I have to stop her before she does something stupid again."
"Eos is completely mental," Ariadne growled.
"Agreed," Lampetia replied, "But at least my visit had some positive effect on you. You no longer look as pale as a ghost. Maybe you want to try eating something now. I've been told that you haven't eaten enough in recent days. I'll send someone down with some food for you... And I will try to get you a room with a window. My father's island is too beautiful to lock you up in a vault."
Lampetia picked up her discarded cloak and quickly left, taking her light and her warmth with her. The moment she was gone, Ariadne could feel how her energy diminished with every moment.
But now that the daughter of Helios' was gone, there was still that one other visitor.
"Hello?" Ariadne asked carefully. "Who might my other visitor be?"
"You know, Aria, I am not sure who is more troublesome. You or Percy. You both seem to attract a lot of unwanted attention from the wrong kind of people." A disembodied, yet strangely familiar voice exclaimed.
"Who..."
"Me!... Woah, careful there. I'm not your enemy."
Ariadne had nearly punched the person that had suddenly appeared before her. Another grown woman, though this one too had a familiar face...
"Lou... is that you? What has happened to you? You look... older..." Ariadne said. For a moment she wondered just how long she had been imprisoned in this room. Surely it hadn't been years already... or...
"Things happened, Circe happened and boom, adult Lou. Just get used to it like the others," Lou told her. "But what's more important is that I've finally found you. Do you have any idea how many people are searching for you right now? All your siblings, the remaining hunters, your father. Everyone is out there searching for you."
"Well, you've found me, congratulation. Now please get me out of here."
"That is not so easy," Lou admitted, "This entire area is crawling with enemies. Sneaking in here was hard enough. Sneaking out two people should be next to impossible..."
"So what? You will leave me here."
"Listen, I will go and get help. We won't escape here without a lot of people to distract our enemies. There is at least one Titan here and now this woman shows up and... well, I know I'm good, but not that good. I will escape when the guard brings your food. But I will be back. And then we will free you!"
Ariadne turned away from Lou, dejected by this. When she had seen Lou appear before her, she had hoped that this would be the moment her captivity would end. Instead, she had to stay behind.
"At least... please tell Percy to be careful. I know he will probably stop at nothing to get me out of here, but I don't want to see him hurt..."
A strange look passed over Lou's face, as she heard Percy's name. But she said nothing. She only nodded, before she recast the spell that hid her with the help of the Mist. After the guard had brought the food, she was alone once more.
A/N: And done.
So a chapter without Percy. Why? Because Percy had his big fight in the last chapter and unlike Ares he can't just walk it off. Percy needs some rest before he finds Artemis. And there are a bunch of other events that needed some spotlight. So except for the Olympus shenanigans, this chapter is mostly about how Lou, one of the three Harbingers, finally managed to find Ariadne.
And in this chapter we have one new character who will be more important for the coming trouble surrounding Ariadne. Actually, Lucia appeared some chapters ago, as one of the Hunters who had joined Deianira. Thing is, she isn't who she claimed to be. Lampetia is one of Helios' many children and one of the guards of Helios' sacred herds. Not to mention that she is the personification of Light. She is loyal to Hyperion and will mean a lot of trouble for anyone who dares to attack her father's island. Her sister Phaethusa is around as well.
So, for today I'm done. Until next time...