"This world will always go on, stupidly and brutally, but I will not. I will not." Andi Anders- Revolution
Traveling over a frozen ocean isn't as easy as one would think. I decided the whole sports car thing wasn't really something that I would do, so I just used my wings instead. I let Rodney and Grover drive. By the looks of it, they both wanted to drive. I saw the difficult turn across Oklahoma. I saw everyone swerved. I heard laughter coming from two cars, it sickened me. I felt my heart break, I couldn't help it. I was stupid and I ruined my perfect boyfriend with the stupid ass words I said.
"You know you have beautiful eyes." Annabeth said I could hear her words even over the harsh wind; they cut through my heart like a knife.
"Thanks, I…I guess I don't even really look at myself in the mirror anymore." I laughed, sure Phoenix, says the guy who spends at least an hour in the shower every morning. Then another hour in front of the mirror, but I couldn't complain with her, he was sexy. I zoned out of that conversation it was making me sad and depressing, I zoomed on Piper and Leo.
"Their ridiculous their probably laughing their stupid heads off, and giggling about how they have each other and their going to prom together. He's probably telling her how he wants to make out with her, right here, right now. Better yet she's probably making him out with him while he's driving!" Piper sounded furious.
"No better yet he's probably got her all wrapped up in his arms, and I would give my life to that girl. She's just so…so…"
"Special." Piper finished for him, they sat in silence for the rest of the drive. I then stopped being my nosy self and enjoyed the warm air of the summer day; I realized I haven't heard word of Jake from anywhere. I guessed he wouldn't want to see me, even though he was only around the age of twelve, almost thirteen, he was already showing signs of pride in his words, like how he was too embarrassed to come and apologize to me. He didn't even need to, all I wanted was for him to come back to me…to come back to Mom and I. Mom missed him terribly, her light and happiness in her eyes was starting to disappear. He was ruining her, her will to go on. It was my fault he was becoming crazy and insane, my fault he had disappeared off the side of the planet. I missed him so gods damn much… A tear streaked from my eye, I wiped it away. I couldn't show to my own self that I was weak. I needed to find him, I needed to. I don't know how I could go on without him. The sadness that I had kept holding back let out and a sob escaped from my lips. I saw my tears drop to the icy surface of the ocean. I tried to wipe away all my tears, but more kept coming. I wanted Phoenix… I wanted his arms around me, but he was already moving on, anyone could see that.
I saw in the distance as I soared higher, the coastline glimmered in the bright sunlight. I saw that the clumps of green where the forests, then I slowly dove a little lower my heart racing, a smile started to play on my lips, it was a beautiful day. I hadn't been at Mount Logan for awhile, maybe after all this was over, I would go and finally settle on the mountain. Become a hermit and never look back at my old life. Because right now none of that mattered, I was absorbed by the beauty of the world. I found in so beautiful and brilliantly crafted by the great crafter. I found myself diving down to the touch the brilliant blue ocean, only to find Carlina had frozen that part too. Soon enough I was getting the small voices in my head of the satyrs and nymphs that felt my presence.
My lady! My great goddess. Please answer me, I need help, my park is being polluted. I can't fight the construction workers they will kill me and my family. My habitat was destroyed my lady, please answer my cry, you can help… I know you can. My majesty it is your fellow servant Clover, please help my mother she is sick and will most likely not get better…but you have the power to heal her, your hands are the light of the world. My lady answer my cry! Penelope, please my children grow hungry, we are deprived of everything you have restored to us. It's the humans, my lady please help! They advance; can't you hear my cries to you? My father says I should pray to you and so I do, but my goddess you never answer, where are you…? AHHH MY LADY HELP ME- Dear goddess I thank you for giving me today, thanks for my family, my life, and my beautiful forest. Where are you, Penelope? You would not abandon your own people would you? Please Penelope, my mother and father are killed, I'm alone in this world, help me.
I feel horrible mean while here I am, traveling across the world battling monsters, while my people lay here helpless. I am a goddess, I took an oath to them at my coronation to serve them to and take care of them. I promised I would, but now I don't even bother to listen to the tiny prayers in the back of my mind. I will start taking care of my children today, right now. I had always heard the poor helpless voices but I never had really paid it attention. But it was selfish… I should not have the position I have now. I flew down and then found each prayer's source and I helped them. I met up with the group as I finished my godly work. I was boarded and my wings were growing tired. I decided to dive down and sleep in the back of the Ferrari, while Grover and Rodney drove. I slunk through the open passenger window and slunk to the back.
"It's about time you showed up, we were starting to worry." Rodney snapped.
"Sorry…goddess, stuff." I said wearily, I thought about it, I didn't get a wink of sleep last night. It was the perfect time to do it. Right now, I lie down and put my head on the hard leather seat. But I couldn't, I was restless. My legs had to crunch against the seat, my hair got into my mouth. My skin was sticky and kept sticking onto the seat. I was itchy and my hair was greasy, I hadn't had a decent shower in a few days, I was grossing myself out. I sat up; I could forget the idea of trying to get sleep now. The sky was darkening. We had to stop somewhere. I said to Rodney I would go tell everyone we were stopping for the night since I could fly. Both Rodney and Grover grunted replies, they both sounded like something about waffles. I wasn't sure. I flew back out the open window, and then flew ahead to Carlina. Her hair whipped behind her, but she still looked beautiful. I didn't know how a girl could look hot and still ride a motorcycle. I flew beside her and had to shout over the wind.
"Were stopping for the night!" I screamed, she understood and then slammed onto the breaks the sparks that flew skidded over the ice and tiny crystals flew from the wheels. I flew down to the Lovebirds car, Pearl was laughing, Jason saying something about a comedian. I repeated myself to them. Jason just shooed me away and Pearl gave me a, sorry a cute boy is making me laugh right now, look. Then I flew back to Leo and Piper they just jealously stared ahead and pulled down on the breaks. I was glad Annabeth was smart and had told Phoenix to stop the car, because I didn't think I could. Then I realized Tyson was riding with Pearl, I couldn't help feel for the poor guy, he had to deal with that crap while his big brother was out there probably getting his ass whooped. I couldn't help feeling sad in a way it must suck… but then I realized I'm having the same problem with my own. Tyson has really taken a liking to me; he's a nice kid, who just gets kicked around way too much. I couldn't help but imagine what it must have been like to live on the streets of New York, begging to your father for something to save you. It finally comes, a big brother then he's taken away from you. You're lost… and finally you give up because Percy's the one good thing in your life, besides your own father. But you learn to look at the simple pleasures but you just wish that Percy was there.
I fly back to Grover and Rodney who have passed out in the back seat, I fly up to Carlina. She lies on a towel slightly shivering. I grab a blanket from my bag and hand it to her but she pushes it away. She has her head on her knees; she looks up at the sunset. The stars are becoming brighter as the night comes out.
"When I was younger, I was forced by Morillius to live without warmth of a blanket, and I must learn to survive in the cold. I have lived without the warmth of anything, no one loves me and no one ever will. Warmth does not surround my heart like it does to you, Penelope. You are different then any god I have met. You do not deny yourself, you do not deny your love, and you do not deny anything. For that you are different. It is not the looks of a person that makes them beautiful. But how they stick out in the world, you yourself are a model my dear friend. You do not have beautiful red hair that pours from your head, but you have gorgeous brunette hair that has streaks of cinnamon running through it. Your eyes sparkle when you see something; you yourself show the uniqueness of the world. Not everyone can wield the warmth you can my dear friend. Not people like me, people who have never seen love, who have never met their mother, who have never been kissed by a boy because there are too many who pretend, but you are lucky with Phoenix. Don't throw it away, give him the time and he will realize you are the one, my dear." Her voice sounds so wise and sour but I can't help but be amazed by her words, they speak not only to me but to something more then that. Something so much deeper…something I can't even register as a feeling. It's so much more then that, I stare at her in amazement but she looks out in the distance and doesn't even acknowledge me.
"Why do you live alone?" I ask her, her head slowly turns to me, her midnight green eyes alive and deep.
"I do it because if I lived with a foster parent, even my Aunt Lila, I would be someone I'm not. I was never meant to be loved. Some things aren't meant to be loved, I'm one of them. Poseidon once said it, but he never did ever again. He now a days he doesn't even want to talk to me…Zeus closed Olympus, yes. But this is so weird… I'm finally alone. Finally, I have been forgotten."
"You haven't been forgotten, how could you be? We came to ask you of your powers, and you generously gave them to us. You're a great person Carlina, you have helped so many demigods and you have given so much of your own self to the world. Poseidon loves you, he's a god, and sometimes they don't know how to show it. But I wouldn't count him out just yet; he may have something in store for you."
"Penelope, I appreciate you sounding so nice and sweet, but the first seconds of this life and my old one, Poseidon sent me off to my tutors the second I could move."
"But it's so true Carlina, you are so much more then you take yourself to be worth. Please don't forget that you can change the world, you don't have to be a god, or even the most powerful demigod. You just have to have an open mind, heart, and a beautiful soul. All of which you have."
"It's nothing I haven't been told before. You think you are the first to tell me, I'm worth more then my beauty and my powers. You are a dolt to think I have not heard that more then once. I feel like I'm hardly worth anything." She pauses, "You are a singer, are you not?"
"I had a dream of going to Julliard. Once, but now that's over. I'm done with mortal girl dreams." She laughs,
"Sing to me."
"What?" I give her a puzzled look.
"You heard me, sing." So I do. I sing her Coldplay, I sing her Ironband, a song I read from a book and put a melody to it. I sing her a small little lullaby, I get into it and sing Florence, and then I finish. I find she's not with me anymore, her tired eyes are closed and her breathing is deep. I lay down across from her. My heart softly beating, I missed singing. I truly did, my mother used to say, I would perform for the Queen of England, for my voice was so beautiful it could reach the stars and they would rain their tears of light and sorrow. Even Apollo himself envied my singing, obviously this meant something. I got up and felt cold despite the warm night air. I felt something rumbling underneath the surface of the ice.
I back away from the spot I'm standing on, the ice breaks and facets of the ice are sharp, if I was still mortal they could have killed me. I see something weird is happening, the pieces are forming into something. The ice comes together and then a growl escapes from its lips. Then suddenly it sees Carlina and it goes after her. I block my own body in front of hers, Carlina wakes up she becomes so aware and alert. Then in a second she's gone. I turn to try to find her, but she's no where. Then I see her up on the monster, her stomach is cut, from a piece of ice sticking out from the monster. She smashes down on its face, but it hardly breaks it. I wrap my vines around its legs then it falls with a great billow of a scream. I hear our friends come, and help. Annabeth throws her knife straight into the monster's foot. This makes it scream, Phoenix blows a fireball into the monster's stomach. It lets out a blood curdling cry and I smile, Pearl breaks the ice and raises a wave bigger then a skyscraper into it. Some of its limbs are cut off, but it is hardly affected. I touch the ground and something smashes against the hard rock ice beneath the monsters foot, it's green, and it's a monster I created. It breaks through the ice and its head is twice the size of me. It's a bunch of old trees smashed together and driftwood mixed together, seaweed is intertwined with it as well. Coral grows on its arms and legs; I'm amazed that I can create monsters. Carlina's hand has something in it, and then she opens the capsule she's holding, and pours it onto the monsters back, while my own monster crushes into it, strangling it with its own jellyfish hands. The monster swung at it, knocking it down. I saw Carlina go for it's forehead with her own blade, Pearl saw her and jumped up to help. The sisters locked hands and pulled blades, and then something unexpected happened, blue light courses from their bodies and something erupted from the ice, water. Like a geyser it erupted and the monster flew back, Pearl was about to go with it, but Carlina grabbed onto her and swung her down to the ice. A loud, CRACK echoed across the ice. Pearl got a little dazed, Jason helped her up. She shook herself but then regained composure and went back at the monster. Jason struck the ground with his sword and bolts of electricity shot from it, it cracked the ice. Then the monster fell, it shook a few times, then got up. It spotted Carlina on the edge of the hole, and went after her Tyson screamed and ran to her, he picked her up. The monster tried to crush him, but he only held up a hand and stopped his foot. Tyson then threw the monster back and the monster crushed into a million pieces. But that was only the beginning…