Chapter 2 is out now! I can't believe this. I was riding so high after a couple hundred views on my story, but its dropped so low! Not happening. I've posted this chapter, and am already working on the next. I do hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians! That title belongs to Rick Riordan.
Thalia POV
Thalia was bored. Sad but bored. It was her general mood whenever she was at Olympus. The gods were just so melancholy. It was pathetic, although she would never say that to their faces. She almost preferred it when they were arguing, yet that was a time she would never wish back. At least now, the Olympians were united in their sorrow and grief for the loss of their hero. Well, aside from Apollo and Hermes. They were giggling quietly in their places far on the left. They'd been like that recently, Thalia mused, wondering what was happening between them. An affair? Thalia snorted silently. She was drawn out of her thoughts as a bright silver light shot upwards into the sky, nearly blinding the two who weren't goddesses—a call for the Olympians that weren't already present in the throne room. A misty cloud forming above the coral throne? That was Poseidon. The sudden sparkle of pink glitter? Aphrodite. With a few more grand entrances, the gods of Olympus were all present in the room.
General POV
"Artemis? A call for the council is rare from you. What ails you, my daughter?" Zeus rumbled as he let out a sigh, slumping onto his throne. Artemis glanced at Tierra and Thalia before moving to stand in the middle of the room, enlarging herself as she did so. "We have found the source of the magical surge." She paused, letting the gods mumble amongst themselves. "It was ice. Pure ice." She finished, watching as the gods' reactions became more audible. As she began to turn back, she halted, turning to watch her twin brother.
"What exactly are you doing, 'younger' brother." She asked, emphasizing the word younger. Thalia snickered as she watched Hermes mouth, "Busted!" Before full-out laughing as Hermes yelped, an arrow embedded near his cheek. "You too, Hermes. You've been laughing this entire meeting, scratch that, since before. What is so humorous?" Zeus glanced at both his sons, seemingly confused as he saw the reactions of his children. "This is a grave matter." He confirmed. "Ice users are rare, and the ones we know of are imprisoned or under constant watch. What exactly is so amusing?"
The two looked at each other guiltily before Apollo sighed and stood up, his head low. "I was planning to inform the council of this eventually, but with the revelation of an ice user, this information is most likely relevant now." He sighed quietly as he raised his arm to conjure a large screen that displayed a hooded figure jumping backward, springing into athletic motions as they fought a group of Empusae. They manipulated the Earth to enhance their movement. They came to a quick halt, raising their arms to intercept an arrow to their face. It would've been a painful attack, but their arms were coated with hardened dirt, allowing for an effective block. They dashed forwards at an astounding rate, bringing up a blade of solid Earth to decapitate the head of an Empousa. The unknown individual then stomped on the ground, lunging to the side as their spikes shot upwards to impale the remaining Empousae.
Apollo almost smirked at the reactions of those in the room and quickly moved on with the little presentation he'd set up in the short fight that had just been witnessed. "I saw them a few days back while taking the Sun on a joyride. They've been manipulating the Earth since I first spotted them, and we all know it's a sub-domain of Uncle P here. So is ice, for that matter, so, I was thinking. What if it's Percy?" He mumbled quietly as he finished his sentence. As expected, the Olympians burst out in a cacophony of voices.
Zeus let it go on for a few minutes, letting the gods collect their thoughts before calling a burst of lightning to him, the sound drawing the attention of the still-nervous gods to himself. "Apollo. What you have done was foolish. The moment you found this figure, you should've reported it. Aside from that, if what you say is true, then we need to find and apprehend them. I hesitate to request this, my daughter, but if it is Perseus, I ask that you go after him, Artemis. Your Hunters are the best we have, and if we send you, we can capture him quickly." Artemis nodded in consent. "Perseus was - is a good man. My Huntresses feel the same. There is little resistance on my part, and I am sure I also speak for my Hunt." Poseidon almost seemed teary-eyed at the chance that his son could finally be found and flashed over to Artemis as he embraced her in a hug. "Thank you, my niece. The seas will be forever in your debt for this. I greatly appreciate this." Artemis seemed frozen but hesitantly put her arms around Poseidon for a few seconds before nudging herself away. "Er, yes. I do hope to find Perseus as well. He is one of the few males that are an exception to the general population of the lesser gender." She spoke haughtily, almost trying to cover up her embarrassment as she quickly flashed out in a golden burst, Thalia and Tierra gone with her as well. Poseidon stood there weakly before blinking and turning back to sit at the hearth of the throne room. Hestia sat there with a tear trailing down her cheeks at mentioning her long-lost nephew. "There there, little brother. I'm sure we will find your son. I sense a great hope within our family, and with hope to lead the way, happiness is due to follow in its steps. Take heart, Poseidon. Our family will soon be whole again."