A/N: Hello lovelies! Rest your eyes on this new chapter!
Please note that this chapter comprises mainly of cut-scenes of the TC book, modified to fit the WIR-verse. Anything apart from this more or less follows the original story line.
Book One
Third Arc: Creating Cross-Currents
Chapter 13: The Quest For Artemis
Bianca glanced out of the window of the Lexus.
How peculiar.
She was riding a train in a car.
Such things only happen on the 'Sun West Line' freight train.
She was sharing her car with her Lieutenant.
Alone for once.
There was barely any conversation- the day had been long, and both of them were exhausted.
Their Quest-mates were left to their own devices.
Thalia and Annabeth were in a sleek black Mercedes SLK.
Grover sat alone in a Lamborghini.
Bianca took note of where they were, in case of emergencies.
And their if journey was as thing as it had been until then, well-
It might come in handy.
If this Quest wasn't a story to tell around the campfire, she didn't know what was.
When Annabeth showed up with Grover, announcing that the Satyr was joining them in the Quest, she had... caused a stir to say the least.
(Truly, Bianca had wondered if Annabeth was omnipotent)
Her lieutenant had been seething, refusing to journey with a male.
Percy Jackson had somehow caught wind of this and had participated in it with gusto.
After that, there was arguing that devolved into name-calling.
Bianca had never hated Thalia's habit of tazing people as much as she did then.
Suffice to say, water and electricity- not a good mix. For anyone involved.
Finally, Chiron had to step in and take the reigns.
Zoë had been utterly unsatisfied, but had to concede that they needed a tracker with Phoebe missing.
And so they went on their way with their newest addition.
She glanced once more at her dozing companion.
Brown eyelashes were lowered, concealing brown eyes.
She sat comfortably in her seat, legs on the dashboard and shoulders relaxed.
Her cheeks were slightly mushed by the collar of her silver parka.
She looked much different from the usual, stoic Huntress.
Now, she looked almost... cute.
Bianca fought back a blush.
It simply wouldn't do to think of her leader so.
How strange.
She had never felt this way before.
Ah, but she had to admit that life after she found out that she was a demigod was… interesting, to say the least.
First the Manticore, then the Hunters, the Bus ride, Camp Half Blood, the Quest…
It was a whirlwind of activity and she had never felt so alive.
And she had met so many new people too.
People like Annabeth, Phoebe, Thalia, Lieutenant Zoë…
Especially Lieutenant Zoë.
Her Lieutenant held herself with such confidence, fought with utmost determination for what she believed in, was so ready to sacrifice anything at the word of their Lady…
Truly, if given the choice, if she was to be anybody but herself, she would be Zoë Nightshade.
She was just... perfection incarnate.
And she had the nicest smile.
She shook away any and all thoughts with another blush.
This simply wouldn't do!
But if a girl could dream…
She bunched up her Nemean Lion coat around her for warmth.
Truth be told, ever since she got it after defeating the lion itself, Zoë wouldn't look at her in the eye.
She felt a bit hurt, but she was sure that the older girl had her own reasons.
Nevertheless, Zoe felt comfortable enough around her to fall asleep.
That had to mean something, right?
She smiled faintly.
Speaking of the Nemean Lion-
Who would have thought that her little Nico's obsession with Mythomagic would have saved them all that day?
If her brother hadn't gone on and on about how Hercules subdued the beast-
Bianca shuddered to think of the consequences.
And shuddered again at the memory of her brother's dream.
She didn't really believe in the hocus pocus of dream interpretation, but Percy and Annabeth seemed really concerned about it.
And now, they were on their way to save Lady Artemis.
She could only hope that everything would work out.
Bianca was taking back everything nice she said about life as a demigod.
Between fighting Skeletons that tracked people's scent, dealing with Nature Gods who sent Satyrs into hysterics and riding giant wild boars which had strangely pronounced names, she had had more than enough.
By the time they had dismounted from the tusked beast, they had traveled miles upon miles, flying over hills and vales until they reached a dry land with thorny shrubs and cacti.
It looked like it hadn't rained in years.
Maybe even forever.
One shall be lost in a land without rain.
Bianca sent a nervous glance towards Zoë, who sent a troubled look back.
When Grover pointed towards the junkyard filled with metallic devices, her heart all but stopped.
The lines of the Prophesy mixed with the words of her brother as they rang in her ears like the chiming bells heralding death.
She didn't know how, but a certainty welled up within her- if she entered the junk yard, her fate would be sealed.
But she forged on.
Her Lady needed saving.
No matter at what cost.
The metal interior of the automaton was sweltering hot.
Sweat poured down her face as she madly pushed buttons and pulled levers in random.
Her brother had warned her.
He had begged her.
But she, being the fool she was, hadn't listened.
Why didn't she listen?
And she had said… horrible things.
She never did apologize for what she'd said, did she?
The dashboard started spitting electric sparks.
And now, she would never get the chance.
No!
No, she wanted to live.
She would live.
Bianca looked around in panic.
She couldn't stay there any longer.
But had she brought her fellow Quest members enough time?
Suddenly she stilled, looking at a seemingly empty corner.
It felt as if... her brother was there.
You were just about to die and we both knew it. You looked at me and- and-
She made up her mind.
She kicked at the metal trapdoor underneath her feet.
Just before she jumped, she smiled at the distinctive corner.
It was a reckless smile- bold and beautiful.
If there was truly no way for her to live on, then so be it.
But if she had any control over her fate, even a silver, then she would make sure of this-
Her brother will not watch her die like a rat in a maze.
She hit the ground hard.
She tried to scramble to her feet, but she felt strangely exhausted.
All she managed was a weird spasm.
What was going on- oh.
The metal was sucking away her strength.
She felt frustration nip at her.
She had to move, she had to-
Wha- What's this?
She picked up a piece of twisted metal.
It a small Mythomagic figure.
The Hades figurine.
The only one that Nico didn't have.
She felt a sudden rush of emotion.
If only she could get it back to him, if only she could tell him she was sorry, so, so sorry…
The giant robot above her exploded.
As it fell, shrapnel fell with her in a deadly rain.
Bianca gasped, sure that she was going to die any second.
Not knowing what else to do, she prayed.
She unconsciously hugged the mall figurine to her chest.
Father… I- I don't know who you are. But if you're listening- please, let me survive this, let me live. If not for me, then for my little brother.
Metal shards flew in all directions.
A large piece impaled the ground, missing her shoulder by mere inches.
Soon, Bianca was completely buried under metal.
She shrouded in darkness, she had just one thought-
This is the end.
She heard vague screams of her name in the background.
It glanced off her like water off a duck's back.
She was thinking of her only remaining living relative.
And she felt remorse.
What had she done?
He'd never been alone in his life, how will he fare?
She never should have left him.
And now, she'd leave him forever.
Nico, brother, forgive me.
She closed her palm over the little metal figurine.
It was the last thing she did before the darkness consumed her.
The Fates cut a short blue thread with a pair of red scissors.
Bianca di Angelo, you will be remembered.
My fault, my fault, my fault, chanted Annabeth to herself.
How could she have been so stupid?
She wasn't worthy to be called a child of Athena.
Why in Hades' name did she hold onto that stupid silver crescent clip?
And the look on Bianca's face when she showed her the clip with trembling hands-
The shock, the determination and worst of all, the understanding…
Why had she done that?
She was the one who should have died, not Bianca.
Why did Bianca step in?
But no, it wasn't Bianca's fault.
It was Annabeth's.
It was all her fault.
Gods of Olympus, what would she tell Nico?
Nico woke up in a daze.
He looked at the clock nearby.
It showed three thirty a.m.
Wha- oh.
Oh.
He rubbed his reddish eyes.
He had cried himself to sleep last night.
Nico frowned to himself, blinking away the pesky scratchiness at its corners.
He checked the calendar.
The clock again, for good measure.
He knew what time it was.
He knew what day it was.
He knew what should happen but…
But there was a conspicuous absence of that all too familiar ringing in his ears.
And in his dream just now…
Well, he didn't remember much of it.
But there had been something strange about it...
Ah, yes, Bianca had jumped.
Wait a minute...
What?
Impossible.
It was impossible.
It was impossible and he couldn't suppress that feeling of heart shattering hope-
It came back to him in bits and pieces.
She had smiled at him.
Did that mean...?
Is possible that she was…?
Did he- did he do it?
He couldn't feel her presence, no matter how thoroughly he searched.
But he knew for sure.
Bianca wasn't in the Underworld.
But did that mean...?
Did he… do it?
Incredulity swept his being.
What kind of sorcery was this?
Did the Universe finally decide to give him a break?
(Yeah right. When Kronos invites Zeus to a tea party. But still-)
Maybe- just maybe- things could be resolved peacefully.
At the very least, he could afford to have a good night's sleep.
He burrowed into his blankets and went back to sleep, hope soaking through him like the warmth of a hearth fire.
But before he was lost to the world, he had one thought-
Where the heck was she?
The thread that had just been snipped shimmered blue before melding back together.
The Three Fates looked somber.
Beware, Angel Victor, by doing this you have unleashed a monster more powerful than you ever were.
Bianca rubbed her eyes and looked around.
She still held the little metal figurine in her hand.
Tears welled up as she remembered her brother's cheery chattering.
She quickly stuffed it into her pocket.
She had decided.
If she ever got out of this place, she was giving it to Nico.
But what was this place?
Judging from the roughness of stone walls, she was in a cave.
She evaluated her surroundings as she set a brisk pace.
No need to give her pursuers, if any, a head start.
Though the walls were crude, the stone itself was smooth.
Bianca wan't familiar with the different types of stones but she gave it her best shot.
Smooth... and dark, nearly black... shiny...
Obsidian, maybe?
Wait.
Obsidian walls?
Which famous Greek structure had imposing obsidian walls?
While she wasn't familiar with Greek architecture, Nico had mentioned this particular one time and again.
Oh dear.
Was she dead?
Oh, but she might have remembered wrong.
And she wasn't sure that the walls were made of… obsidian…
She felt a chill run down her spine and picked up her pace.
Sometime later, she found herself in a wide cavern.
She looked around for a clue of some sort when she startled.
Her gaze fell on a dark shape holding up seemingly nothing.
As she looked closer, she realized that it was a blonde boy with a scar running down his face.
And he was in pain.
He lay crumpled on the rocky ground, unable to rise.
The darkness seemed to be thicker around him, fog swirling hungrily.
His clothes were in tatters and his face was scratched and drenched with sweat.
"Please!" he called. "Help me! Please!"
She went closer, ever cautious.
For some reason, she wasn't really comfortable with this person.
Still, she felt around, trying to find a way to help.
In hopes of distracting the other from his pain, she initiated conversation.
"What's your name?"
"Lu-Luke Callestan."
"Luke. Okay, do you know where we are?"
"We're at- at the Mountain of- of Despair," he wailed.
The name made her shiver.
But then again, it probably was meant to do that.
"What happened to you?"
"They abandoned me," Luke groaned, "Please make it stop. It will kill me."
Kill you? So you aren't dead? That means- Yosh! I'm still alive.
She sent a mental 'thank you' to her Godly parent.
"Who? Who left you?" she said to the boy.
"The- The General." he gasped out.
Bianca gasped and took seven steps back.
While she didn't know much about the demigod world, she did know that anyone associated with the 'General' was bad, bad news.
"What is your relation to him?"
"I- I just-"
"Speak or I'll kill you, here and now."
"I was his subordinate," he finally muttered.
Bianca immediately shifted into a defensive stance.
"Please. I won't hurt - Help me."
"Why should I trust you?"
"Please, if you don't help me, I'll die."
"Then die! You deserve it for hurting Lady Artemis," she called back angrily.
"No wait! I'll give you what you want. Whatever you want!"
"There is nothing I'd want from a scoundrel such as the General!"
"I can- I can tell you about Artemis! I can lead you to her."
That stopped her short.
"What do you know about my Lady?"
"I have- I know where she is. And where she will be. If you let me die, you'll lose your chance to find out!"
Bianca hesitated at that.
But if she hadn't, things would have gone much, much differently.
The darkness above Luke began to crumble, like a cavern roof in an earthquake.
Huge chunks of black rock began falling.
Bianca rushed in just as a crack appeared, and the whole ceiling dropped.
She held it somehow.
She kept it from collapsing on her and Luke with little more than her own strength.
It was impossible.
She shouldn't have been able to do that.
How did she do that?
Luke rolled free, gasping.
When he turned back to face her, he seemed like a whole different person.
"Thanks," he managed; sarcasm evident in each syllable.
"Tell me where she is," she gasped out.
Luke caught his breath and rose unsteadily.
"You crazy witch," he spat, "Should've known that you wouldn't fall for the pity act."
He laughed.
"But I knew I could count on your dedication to find your Lady."
He began to walk away as the trembling blackness threatened to crush her.
"Whereis she!" she demanded, her will unbowed even under duress.
"Oh, don't worry," Luke said. "You'll meet her soon. Help is on the way. It's all part of the plan. In the meantime- try not to die."
The ceiling of darkness began to crumble again, and her world of pain began.
Thalia woke up with a gasp.
She had fallen asleep on the statues.
(Gods knew how she managed that.
The heights were bad enough.
But add that to the fact that their lost quest member reminded her of another incident… she expected nothing short of insomnia.)
Annabeth was behind her, burrowed into Bianca's Nemean lion coat.
She looked terrible.
Thalia knew that she blamed herself for the loss of their Quest member.
As she should.
They had been warned.
What had that girl been thinking when she picked up that hairpin?
But she was her sister in all but blood and she could never be angry with her for long.
Especially not when she looked so miserable.
And her dream…
Her brows furrowed as she remembered the details.
She couldn't believe it.
Bianca was… alive? How? The Prophesy said that one of them was supposed to die in the land without rain.
Only…
It hadn't.
It had said one would be lost.
And Bianca hadn't known where she was.
Wherever she was.
But something about that was rubbing her wrong…
It rained on every place on Earth, she realized, even in the deserts.
The deserts were just places that didn't have enough rain.
But if there wasn't a place where it didn't rain, then… what land was without rain?
The answer was absurdly simple.
A land that didn't exist.
Mount Othrys.
The Mountain of Despair.
The throne of Kronos that was destroyed.
It didn't exist, not anymore.
Bianca was alive.
Thalia savored that thought, letting it wash through her.
She was alive…
And Luke had…
Thalia turned her head away.
She knew that her old friend went astray.
She knew that she had to fight him.
She knew that she might have to kill him.
But knowing something and being forced to admit it was a huge difference.
She didn't want to fight Luke, but…
Luke had injured an innocent.
And no matter what reservations she had against the Huntress, Bianca was innocent.
Her eyes flashed with new-found determination.
She would save Bianca. She owed it to her after the girl saved Annabeth.
(And no, the fact that Bianca had really pretty eyes had no part in her decision what-so-ever)
(…Except maybe just a little bit)
Thalia stared at the spear in her hand, the Manticore's words settling comfortably in her ears.
It made sense.
Perfect sense, even.
The rush of power she was feeling, the way the Ophiotaurus responded to her call, and her father never really cared for her…
'Except he did,' a voice whispered, 'He saved your friends at your plea, first at the gates of CHB and then at the Hoover Dam.'
That voice was squished like a bug in the rush of power.
And the one they called Lord Kronos couldn't possibly be as bad as they made out.
'But he is,' said that insistent little voice, a bit stronger, 'He is that bad. You know that he is that bad.'
The voice was dutifully squashed again.
And Luke, dear Luke, the only one who ever had her back, the first person who treated her like family, the one who-
'The one who tricked Bianca into holding up the sky, the one who blackmailed Artemis into taking it from her, the one who was not the Luke she nearly gave up her life for those seven years ago.'
The voice was even stronger this time, standing against that undeniable power with sheer determination.
It did not back down.
And neither did she.
She held onto it with all her might and then some.
She refused to succumb.
The scales fell from her eyes at the memory of brown eyes belonging to a battered body, bowing under the weight of the sky flashed through her mind.
She regained control of her senses.
The Luke who was their enemy was not her Luke.
Not anymore.
He was the one who was threatening Olympus.
He was the one who betrayed her.
He was the one who betrayed them all.
The rush of power waned and Thalia staggered.
The spell, enchantment or whatever was broken.
She caught her balance by placing a hand against the ground.
And smirked.
Let's get this show on the road.
"Bianca!"
In the rough grip of a monster and her pallor looking like death warmed over, she breathed shallowly.
The girl looked exhausted.
She had silver streaks through her hair from when she held up the sky.
But that was fine, more than fine, because she was supposed to be dead, but she wasn't.
Of all those present, Zoë Nightshade was the most relieved that her newest recruit was still alive.
Personal fondness aside, the girl would make a wonderful second-in-command.
And she hadn't forgotten Lady Artemis's request to keep an eye on the younger di Angelo, to make sure that he did not accidently stray into the wrong side.
(She had a feeling that he would cross over in a heartbeat if the Luke boy held his sister over him)
But even as relief coursed through her, her heart was in sheer agony.
Lady Artemis, her wonderful Lady, was being crushed under the weight of the sky.
Her heart broke at the sight of her tortured face.
If only she hadn't forbidden her from taking her place…
But one thing at a time.
Her Titan father loomed over her and her fellow Quest-mates.
She appraised the situation coolly, shutting away her heart's wailing.
Landon's injuries would hinder her ability to fight.
In usual cases, it would make the difference between life and death.
But with her immortal opponent, this was a fight to certain death.
Her death.
She looked at her father- no, at General Atlas with dark, angry eyes.
She could practically see his contempt.
But that was fine.
She strung her bow and pulled an arrow from her quiver.
It had once been said that a dying opponent was a desperate one.
And a desperate opponent was all the more dangerous for it.
That night, Bianca sat trembling under Thalia's arm, the lieutenant's circlet set atop short, curly locks.
(The two co-Quest members had matching silver streaks in their hair from when they held up the sky.
As one.)
That night, Annabeth had refused Lady Artemis's offer of becoming a hunter, even though Thalia herself decided to join.
(She still felt that if she hadn't picked up that stupid hairclip, they wouldn't have gone through the ordeal that they had gone through.
She felt that she didn't deserve the honor.)
That night, a daughter of Hades and a daughter of Zeus stood united against the wrath of Olympus.
And in the end, they emerged victorious.
(The phenomenon was awe-inspiring enough to convince the Olympian council to let them live.)
That night Zoë Nightshade became one with the stars.
Her loss was mourned by many.
(But none more than Bianca di Angelo.)
Nico was softly shaken out of his peaceful state of sleep by the warm beam of light falling on his face through the window on the wall of his side of the room.
It had almost been too long since his last nightmare-free night.
He opened his eyes blearily and took in the sight of the cabin in the muted colors of the rising sun.
The pale, early morning light glinted through the windows, illuminating the faces of the sleeping campers on the beds and on the floor.
The wooden walls of the cabin had a warm reddish-brown hue, giving the whole place a homey atmosphere.
The floor was crowded with campers, but rather than suffocate him, it made him breathe easier.
He wasn't entirely sure why.
Maybe it was because there were so many people around him that he knew (and who had died) in the other timeline.
Maybe it was for the simple fact that they saw him as a person.
Not as a Monster, not as a God, but human, like them.
(At least, for now)
Maybe he felt so because it felt so… ordinary.
He knew that it wouldn't last.
He knew that but…
His gaze fell onto the campers who were on the floor and in the beds with something akin to fondness.
Here, now.
Nobody was awake, no one to judge him, no one who looked to him for support, no one who he had to impress.
He could be whoever he wanted to in those precious few moments.
No one would look up to him at the current point of time.
Not when he was twelve and untrained.
And speaking of training…
He peered at the clock on the wall opposite to him.
It read five forty-five.
He decided to head out to the Arena.
He delicately made his way towards the door, making an effort to avoid stepping on anyone.
The wooden door swung close soundlessly as he stepped out.
He tipped his head to greet the cool early morning breeze.
He found his lips curl into a soft smile.
The crimson sun was rising lazily above the horizon.
He wasn't the only one awake.
Some of the Apollo campers were heading towards the infirmary.
Kayla waved at him, but most of them were grumpily mumbling something about needing more coffee.
He went to the training area with slow, languid steps.
He felt the moving air teasingly twirl the dark curls on his head, invisible fingers carding through.
It reminded him of his Mother's touch.
He enjoyed the cool crispness of the air as the chillness seeped through his aviator's jacket and his new CHB T-shirt.
He listened to the crunch of the fresh snow underneath his feet harmonize with the soft, soothing noises of the early morning life.
His eyes took in the sight of Camp Half Blood bathed in a pretty shade of gold in the temperate rays of the mild winter sun.
It was a good day.
However, neither did her notice the two pairs of eyes following his small figure-
One of which being a troubled brown and the other, a piercing green,
Nor that only one of the two was completely unsuspicious of his tumble through time.
A/N: Thank you, my dear readers, for sticking with me through out the whole of this book.
Because you have- this chapter marks the end of Book One!
It might seem a bit sudden, but I'll be taking a hiatus after this.
The Second Book had been plotted out and drafted, but has to be properly put together.
And this will take time- a lot of it.
There are also other projects I'm working on, and if you are in the Ever After High fandom and/or the Voltron fandom, keep an eye out! I'm planning for a fic in each of them.
There will be an epilogue after this, so please look forward to it!
Oh, one last thing:
Who do you think is the Harbinger?