Raging Demigods
A group of two dozen demigods marched in two parallel files into the chambers of the Olympian Council. As they entered the council the files fell into formation of three rows of three warriors each led by the three senior councillors of the Council of Sentinels. One of the formation was being led by Percy with Annabeth and Leo on his flanks while the other was led by Thalia, her flanks covered by Jason and Alec Blackwood, who was filling in for Nico.
The Council room seemed to have changed quite a bit in the last few minutes as if it had been magically re-decorated and organised, which the demigods were pretty sure it had been. The demigods came to a halt in front of the sacred hearth and bent down on one knee to bow to the new Queen of Heavens, Hestia, Goddess of the Sacred Fire and the Hearth. Hestia sat at the centre of the semicircle which now consisted of nine thrones.
At the head of the council sat Hestia dressed in earthly shades and that of golden ochre. To her right sat Poseidon, who was wearing pearl studded-crab shell armour, His sea green eyes flickering with excitement. To Hestia's left sat Hades, his dark eyes gleaming with an internal fire.
The other thrones however were empty; Hermes of course was standing beside the demigods and hadn't taken his throne.
"Don't fear demigods. The Gods are all running errands that are required to ensure the survival of the mortal civilization." Hestia said, her voice seemed to have a calming effect on the demigods who were fretting on the absence of the other Olympians.
"Now, Percy I believe has something to say." She said her gaze focused on Percy. Percy exchanged a glance with Thalia who simply nodded, asking him to go forward. Acknowledging what Thalia had to say Percy walked forward, inhaled deeply, looked at the Gods and said, "I'd like to seek your permission to hunt the monster that has been injuring and killing demigods." Hestia didn't say anything and simply nodded, gesturing for him to continue.
Percy again took a deep breath and said, "It is our belief that this monster's strength is equivalent to that of the Gods." Hestia arched an eyebrow but didn't say anything she wanted Percy to continue what he had to say.
Percy however was fumbling, he couldn't come up with the right words but somehow he gained the confidence to speak again, "Thalia and I have come to believe that the celestial being that caused the breach and the monster that is ambushing the demigods is the same." He said sharing a glance with Thalia.
"We…" but before Percy could say another word Poseidon interjected, "Why wasn't this brought to the notice of the Olympian council." He inquired, annoyed at the thought of the demigods hiding such critical information.
"We didn't know." Thalia said, coming to stand beside Percy.
"Did this monster attack my sons?" Hades asked, practically seething. His brows furrowed.
Percy nodded and said, "We have reason and evidence to believe that it did."
Hades banged the arm rest of his throne with his clenched fist, the sound of thunder reverberating through the sky.
"Calm down brother" Hestia said in a composed voice but with force to her words.
She then looked to the demigods and said, "You seek permission from me to hunt this monster knowing that it is as powerful as a God… "
"Do you wish to die?" Poseidon asked losing his cool. Hestia raised her hand and then turned her attention back to the demigods, "This is a death wish." She said.
Thalia and Percy looked at each other and then at the demigods behind them who stood resolute and confident. Smiling with conviction they turned to face Hestia and nodded.
Hestia smiled in appreciation of the young warriors and nodded, "If that is your wish then I have no choice but to agree." Poseidon and Hermes opened their mouth to challenge her decision but instantly fell silent.
"I know what the two of you are thinking." Hestia said looking at Poseidon and Hermes, she then looked at the assembled demigods, "but it is their decision. They'd have done so with or without our permission."
Percy then gestured to the demigods and they all bowed deeply to her, "Go my warriors. The power of Olympus goes with you." She said and waved her hand in their direction and at that very moment each and every demigod present began to glow with a golden light.
Alec turned to Hermes to ask what was happening. With a twinkle in his eye, Hermes simply whispered, "Hestia's blessing."
"Go now." Hestia said standing from her throne, her brothers joining her.
The demigods rose and stood in attention, with a last salute they all filed out of the council chambers leaving the gods to debate amongst themselves.
"Shouldn't we have detailed a God to guide them?" Hades asked his eyebrow quirked.
"Guide them?" Poseidon said exasperated, "One of us should have gone with them." He shouted, riled by the scenario.
"We surely couldn't have gone with…" Hades couldn't complete his sentence for someone cleared their throat. The three Gods turned to see Hermes beside who were standing two of the demigods that had come with the rest.
One of them was unmistakably a Son of Mars; however there was something wrong with him. His handsome features were marred with that of agony; his aura reflected the pain that he was in. The presence of the second demigod however was a cause of concern, Jason Grace, Son of Zeus.
"Jason and James have requested to speak with the trimutive if they can spare the time." Hestia exchanged a glance with her brothers and gestured for the demigods to voice their concerns. James whispered something to Jason in the ear who nodded and walked forward to stand before the three siblings, "Lady Hestia" he said bowing to her. "Lord Poseidon" he gave him a curt nod, respectfully.
"Is something bothering you Jason?" Poseidon asked him, his voice lined with compassion. He was after all his uncle.
"Yes, Uncle Poseidon." Jason said with a nod, looking down. Gathering courage and taking a deep breath he said, "I want you to bind Delilah to your realm. I don't even want to see the sight of her in Fort Olympus."
Poseidon sighed, "I am sorry for your loss Jason. I really am. I know how you feel" Poseidon said showing genuine concern. "Then remove Delilah from our realm and bind her to yours." Said Jason his eyes darkening, "Otherwise I will destroy her." He said stressing his words.
The chamber fell silent for a moment and then after much contemplation Hestia spoke, "You have made an offering to Nemesis haven't you" she asked.
Jason nodded.
"What?" Hades asked, although he showed lack of interest. It was common knowledge that he kept tabs on demigods as well.
"I made a blood offering." Jason said, showing the white scar on his right palm.
Hestia examined the scar on Jason's hand and then turned to face Poseidon, "You want to keep your daughter safe?" she asked to which Poseidon simply nodded.
"Then it is advisable that she be removed from Fort Olympus." Hestia said, not willing for her decision to be contested.
Poseidon sighed, "It's my fault; I should have never freed her. Even then I knew she was dangerous." And without any warning he flashed away, no doubt to take Delilah to his realm.
"Is there anything else Jason" Hestia asked him.
Jason shook his head, bowed and was flashed away by Hermes only to be replaced by James Lowell, Son of Mars.
Hestia closely observed the gaunt looking young demigod before her. She had seen him before and she knew that she'd see him again. Yes, such was her fate to come face to face with the person whose life she taken away.
"Commander Lowell. What do you wish to discuss?" She asked him.
James fell on his knees and brought his sword to his neck, gently pressing the sharp edge on the thin skin that separated the blade and the blood vessels, "I. want. Alyssa." He said stressing on each and every word, "Otherwise I swear I'll bleed myself to death on the floor of this very chamber." He said, his saddened eyes gleaming with internal rage, a fire I had not seen in centuries.
Was it possible for someone to love another so much that they'd be ready to sacrifice themselves over it? Hestia continued to question myself. No, there was no way that a Vestal could be re-introduced in the mortal world. The boy would have to be pacified some other way. Hestia stood up from her throne and walked to the boy. She kept both hands on his shoulders and made him stand.
She then gently circled her fingers around the boy's hand which held the sword to his neck. Mesmerising him with the depth of her eyes she took the opportunity and gently lowered the sword. Not sensing any kind of resistance she then moved to ease his fingers from the hilt of the sword and then when the moment was right grabbed the sword from his hand and threw it across the chambers.
James Lowell who until now had been in a mild state of his hypnosis came crashing back to full conscious. Seeing that he had been duped his anger rose above the point he could control it, his body gleamed with a deep crimson hue.
It was a colour that Hestia had often seen raging around Ares or Mars in this case.
She turned her back to him and said, "Alyssa Li, was brought to me half dead. I have gifted her a new life, a life of immortality that bears no connection to her previous life of a demigod." She then turned to face him. Her eyes mirrored James hurt, "I'm sorry child but her life is now tied to mine. On her own, her soul cannot survive now. She needs to stay bound to me and while she's bound to me, she can't be with you." It was as if she was apologising.
James had nothing to say. What could he say?
"You can free her from her vow?" James said his voice cracking. "You could relieve her from the duties of a vestal." He said.
Hestia shook her head, "I'm sorry." She apologised. "Once a vestal, always a vestal; Revoking the vow would mean purgatory to the soul of the girl or what's left of her soul."
"What do you mean?" James asked, confused by Hestia's words.
Hestia breathed, sighing she breathed Apollo's name.
Within moments in a flash of soft golden light appeared the Sun God. Wearing an armour of gold that shone like the brilliance of sun, his light blonde hair gently blowing even in the absence of wind. His blue eyes gleaming like the morning sky.
He bowed to Hestia and Hades and then observed the demigod boy before him, his face considerably paled, "You?" he managed to choke out.
"Lord Apollo." James said bowing his to show respect to the god.
"James wants to know why Alyssa's vow cannot be revoked." Hestia told Apollo, "care to answer?" she asked him, no ordering him to answer James' questions.
Apollo sighed, keeping his helmet aside Apollo inhaled deeply and said, "When Alyssa was brought to me her soul was already in Hades…" but he was cut-off by a loud clearing of throat, one that came from the Lord of the Underworld. Apollo closed his eyes and cursed, "… I mean, it was in the in-between. She remained a part of our world but was only held by a very thin line of thread." He paused, took a deep breath and continued, "I have lost children in the previous wars. I didn't want to lose another. So I did the only thing I could think of." He then put his arm forward and showed everyone in the chamber a scar, "I made a sacrifice to Hestia. I bled my ichor into the sacred fire of the hearth" He said looking at the embers crackling in the golden grate "and then I bled Alyssa. It was only a matter of time before Hestia appeared and restored Alyssa to a new life." He averted his eyes, not looking directly into James' which reflected his agony.
Hestia then took the opportunity to speak on Apollo's behalf as he couldn't continue any further, "The Vow of a Vestal is soul binding. As a result of the vow, her soul got permanently tied to this world. The Vow has anchored her soul to this dimension." She said staring into James' honey-brown eyes and then whirled on the spot. Walking back to her throne, her back turned towards Apollo Hermes and James she said, "If I free her of her vow then her soul isn't strong enough to remain tethered to this dimension. She will pass on to the underworld." She said, seating herself on the central throne beside her brother.
James knees buckled, and he fell to the floor. Tears running free from his eyes, his face contorted in pain but his eyes burned with anger, "She couldn't have forgotten about me… She couldn't have agreed to live away…"
"We have blocked her memories" Apollo cut in.
Hestia continued to stare at the boy. If looks could kill and Hestia had been mortal she'd have already died over a thousand times and that too a most painful death. On the other hand she could understand the boy's feelings. Rarely had she seen such commitment amongst mortal, among immortals it was completely non-existent.
"I can't help you child and I can't fulfil your wishes. If you love her then your happiness should be in the fact that the one you loved has survived." She said in an effort to condole him. She then looked at Hermes, non-verbally commanding him to take the boy away. Hermes nodded and kept a hand on the young warrior's shoulder and gently squeezed it to show support. He then along with the Demigod warrior flashed away, no doubt to a place where the boy would be most comfortable.
Hestia slumped in her throne and brought her hand to pinch the bridge of her nose to stop any tears that might escape, "You may leave Apollo." She said.
Apollo nodded to the two gods and flashed away.
"There is nothing that you could have done Hestia." Hades said indifferently. It wasn't his fault. He lived in Hell after all.
"I never realised the fact that even though I was a God that I would be unable grant an honest person's just wish." She said, cursing herself over and over again.
James Lowell's POV
Hermes had teleported me to a swamp somewhere in Florida. I guess he probably read my mind. I didn't want to go back to Olympus and this was the place that I usually came to unwind. Unwind my ass. This was the place that I had come to associate with my days of pain. This is the place where my step-father had left me when she didn't show much keen-ness to continue their relationship because I was too young and she felt that she owed me her attention and love.
Yea, this was the way he thought of getting rid of me. He probably reckoned that I'd become an Alligator's thanksgiving meal, how I hated the holiday. The worst day of my life when I went from having a perfect family to nothing and I hadn't forgotten it till Alyssa came in my life. I drew my dagger from its sheath as my sword was still in Olympus. I observed my surroundings.
Hermes had teleported me in the middle of a swamp. I tried to get up without slipping in the mud. Once on my feet I carefully tried to find my way to firmer ground, the warrior within me coming in the forefront. Survival was the natural state of mind of each and every demigod and I was no different. With my pain and thoughts pushed to the back of my mind, my divine self trudged through the swamp until I came to some hard-soiled firmer ground.
I saw around me some low bushes and stunted trees. I could also smell the salt in the air and that meant I was close to a beach. I don't know what Hermes was thinking leaving me here. I wanted some place to sort out my mind, but this was ridiculous. I searched for a sachet on my utility belt. Find the small leather sachet I tore it open and began searching for a small pool of water which wasn't difficult.
I threw the silver powder in the sachet into the stagnant pool of water. As soon as the powder came in contact with the water, it caused effervescence. Taking my opportunity I threw in a drachma and spoke, my voice coming out hoarse, "Iris, Holy messenger goddess accept my offering, bring my message to Nick Scholz and Tzefira Landen at Fort Olympus."
The effervescence gave rise to a translucent steam which changed to form the shapes of the two people in the world who I counted on the most. Tzefira Landen, my quarter guard sat opposite Nick Scholz, my second in command on one of the several mess tables in the Cohort Barracks Mess. The two seemed to be busy in conversation as they didn't even notice the Iris Message until I yelled for them. "Nick! Tzefira!" I shouted to gain their attention. The two battle hardened warrior turned to look at me, their lips curving into half smiles.
"Is there something wrong" I asked noting Tzefira's pissed off expressions. Nick on the other hand was good at hiding his emotions, "Yea …" Tzefira continued but was cut off by Nick, who was glaring at her, "Nothing we can't discuss until you come back." He said not averting his gaze from Tzefira.
"Sure." I asked looking towards Tzefira. She scowled at Nick but then nodded; putting up a fake smile to assure that everything was all right.
"Where are you?" Nick asked me, his eyebrows scrunched, looking confused after taking in my current surroundings. "That's why I IMed." James said, making a point. Looking at his surrounding and then at the sky over head he said, "I guess I'm near the eastern shore of Florida." He said, not looking as confident as he sounded.
"What do you want us to do?" Nick asked, scratching his head.
James arched his eyebrow and gave him the look stating the obvious. Tzefira slapped Nick on the head and then back-handed his face, "We'll send Steele. Just call out to him through your telepathic link, he'll know where to come." Tzefira said, sounding confident on her idea.
James nodded, tugging at the chord that connected him to his Pegasi and reached out to him.
He then closed the Iris message telling Tzefira and Nick that he'd see them in a while. Knowing that his Pegasus will find him, James climbed a tree and looked at the star strewn sky over head. He sighed, closed his eyes and rested his back on the trunk of the tree.
Yes, now he could mourn for his loss…or should he?
A/N: Three more chapters to go for this part. Please Review.