A/N: Alright, hi. I'm like, back. Lost all my documents so I don't quite know where to go from here in any of my stories but ah well.
UNEDITED.
THALIA really, really, really hated shadow travel. She tore away from Nico immediately she felt land again, and retched into the grass in front of her. Her eyes were swimming, head pounding, and she felt as though she had been thrown into a freezer and left there for a century.
Her teeth chattered, as she staggered to her feet, whirling on the son of Hades. "Never again." His eyes crinkled in what seemed like amusement, but he nodded, pocketing his hands into his oversized aviator's jacket. Thalia wiped her mouth with her sleeve, blinking to bring alertness back into her eyes.
She glanced around, trying to guess where her friend had brought her. Her mind was running with possible answers to her questions, major among them what exactly they were doing there.
"This is…Annabeth's neighbourhood." She frowned. Thalia looked to Nico for confirmation. When he nodded, her heart fell into the pit of her stomach.
She recognised the place. San Francisco, where Dr. Frederick Chase and his new family stayed in relative peace. It was a nice green place, hills and big town houses with chimneys and the like. Mailboxes and lawns and the standard American-household look.
"Come on," Nico marched forward. Thalia forced herself to follow the younger boy as they moved down the hill they had landed on. It was night, and the neighbourhood was illuminated with streetlights, but Nico made sure to move only in patches of darkness, and Thalia followed his example.
Finally, they stepped in front of the red door.
She inhaled. Did Frederick know of what had become of Annabeth? Was he aware of what was going to happen in five days? Thalia pursed her lips, reaching out and pushing the doorbell.
It rang, loudly, and she gritted her teeth at the sound.
"MOM! There's someone at the door!"
One of Annabeth's little brother's had shouted, and then another voice yelled, "Coming!"
They waited in bated breath for a few seconds, although it felt like hours. Finally, the door swung open, and there was a short pixie-like brunette woman opposite them, confusion filling her face at their presence. In another second, a sandy haired bespectacled man was behind her, and he let out a small sound when he saw Thalia, eyes on the orange shirt beneath her black jacket.
"Honey, I'll handle this," He pulled open the door, and his wife nodded, pulling away. "These are friends of Annabeth's."
"Oh," She moved inside. "Welcome."
"Good evening, Mr and Mrs Chase," Nico said first.
He nodded. "It's nice to see you—"
"Thalia and Nico," She put in for him. "Can we come in?"
He nodded, head bobbing up and down nervously. The professor was smart. He knew that anything which concerned Annabeth and her life wasn't good. "Of course," He said. He stepped aside, and Thalia walked inside, closely followed by Nico. She glanced around. The house was huge, but messy. There were toys and crayons and pencils scattered all across the place. Thalia could see the living room, and the TV, from where they were. Pictures hung on the wall, and she saw one, of Annabeth, as a child, smiling, glowing with happiness. Was this what Rachel had painted?
Thalia tried to imagine what it would have been like to grow up like this…with a family who cared. With a family who were actually together.
She shook her head to clear her thoughts and turned her attention back to Frederick. Just then something darted past her, screaming. Thalia jerked in shock and then with a yell another one was hurtling between her and Nico and after the other.
Two brown haired beasts; the brothers.
"Excuse my kids," Frederick apologised. "Follow me." The man led them into the kitchen. "Water? Milk? Cookies?"
"We're fine, thanks," Nico rejected the offer. "We'll not be long, really. Just need to make a few enquiries."
Thalia folded her arms and allowed him to take the lead. Before he could speak again, Frederick's brow had creased, and he was asking, "Is something wrong? Is Annabeth okay?"
Thalia sighed. "Annabeth hasn't been okay for the past three years."
Her father blanched.
"Has she been here recently?"
He nodded, shakily. "About a year ago. She told me she wants to become a permanent camper. She came to say goodbye. There was something…different about her."
"Probably because it wasn't her talking," Thalia said quietly. She knew Luke and Perseus had been here during their quest to find Artemis. But Luke had told her that when Perseus had revealed the Annabeth thing to him, he hadn't had the heart to tell her dad. Now it was up to her.
"Her eyes. Were they gold?" Nico queried.
Frederick shook his head sharply. "No. Annabeth's eyes are grey. Like her mother's."
Thalia sighed. "Your daughter has been poisoned by Athena's ambition and deceit into serving the Titan Lord Kronos. She's hosting his spirit now, and leading an army to destroy the gods. The Annabeth you know is gone, sir. We did all we could to bring her back."
Frederick stumbled, and she moved forward to grab him, but he clutched on to the wall to steady himself. He wheezed, and met her eyes. She could see the pain in his eyes. The unbelief and denial.
"What else did she tell you, Professor?" Nico asked, pity in his voice. "We're sorry it came to this. But we've lost her. And we need to know how to stop her before she destroys us all."
Frederick squeezed his eyes shut, and Thalia could see, he was still reeling in shock. He didn't want to accept what they had said. But he went on. "She told me she was going to a river. That her mother had sent her on a mission, and she needed my blessing to complete it." He paused. "She was my only daughter…"
"She's not dead, yet, Sir," Nico said, sharply. "We don't even know if we can kill her."
Thalia and her friend's father winced.
"I gave her my blessing, and that was that."
Nico nodded, exchanging a glance with Thalia. "Thank you. We'll see ourselves out." Frederick put his head in his hands, probably lamenting where he had gone wrong as a parent.
Thalia's heart ached for him. She sighed, and before turning, whispered. "If we manage to find a way to free her from Kronos, we will. But if I have to kill her," She cocked her head to the side. "I promise to make it as painless as possible."
With that, both demigods clad in black moved away from the kitchen and walked back outside into the San Francisco air.
-X-
THALIA followed the dark haired Italian boy up the hill they had come. She stilled when they spotted the little girl, hand moving to her belt to grab her weapon. The girl had brown hair, and the brownest eyes Thalia had ever seen, full of wisdom and age.
She was tiny, looked about eight, and she was fair and dainty, in a simply brown dress. She had started a fire on the hill. Nico looked surprised to see her there. "Lady Hestia," He bowed.
Thalia blinked in surprise, allowing her hands to fall to her side. She dipped her head, biting her lip. She had assumed all the gods were fighting Typhon now.
"Nico, Thalia," Hestia's voice was warm, and filled Thalia with safety. "Sit, sit, you must be hungry." They dropped onto the ground and as they did, a picnic mat appeared on the grass beneath them. "People hardly ever notice me," Hestia waved and a buffet of food appeared beside the fire. "Not even you campers, when I tend your fire in your Camp. I'm surprised you know who I am."
Thalia flushed in embarrassment. If Nico hadn't mentioned her name, she doubted she would have known she was before a goddess. She remembered seeing Hestia, once, but then she had blinked, and the goddess had vanished. And so naturally, the daughter of Zeus had assumed she had dreamed it. She hadn't recalled any features either.
She turned her attention back to the food. "Thank you," She said in acknowledgement of the meal. There was roast beef, cheese sandwiches, juice boxes, fresh bread, and so many foods Thalia hadn't had the luxury of eating in a while. She and Nico picked out some of the food, and they were about to begin when she thought better of it. She scraped a part of the food into the fire, and whispered, "For Percy." She glanced up, at where Hestia was looking at her with a smile. "And for the gods," she added, almost as an afterthought.
"Thank you," The goddess smiled, radiating warmth once more.
"My Lady." Nico had barely touched his food. "Why aren't you with the other Olympians, fighting Typhon?"
"I don't really think I'd be very useful in a fight," She smiled, tilting her head to the side. Her golden flame coloured eyes glittered. "My place is in the home. I keep the fires burning while the other gods are away. I am a peaceful goddess."
"You mean you're guarding Olympus," Thalia placed her cheese sandwich down.
"I wouldn't say guarding, but yes," She chuckled. "Now eat. Then, we can talk."
She watched them as they dug in, and Thalia hadn't realised she was that hungry until she was done. She felt full of food and energy. "That was amazing."
Hestia nodded in acknowledgement, and began. "You seek the same powers your friend Annabeth did." It was more of a statement than a question, but Thalia nodded anyways. Nico shifted uneasily.
"We have no choice," Thalia spread her hands in the grass. "Without it I don't stand a chance."
Hestia shook her head. "There is always a choice for those who search for it." She paused. "Not all powers are spectacular, or flashy. Sometimes, the hardest power to learn is that of yielding." She looked up, and met Thalia's eyes. "Will you be able to yield when the time comes, niece?"
Thalia expelled a breath in confusion. Did all gods have to speak in such crazy riddles?
"What do you mean?"
Hestia smiled, sadly. "You shall know when the time arises. Will you still go on your quest?"
"Is that why you're here? To tell me not to?"
"No," She shook her head. "I am here, because when all else fails, when all the mighty gods have gone to war, I am all that is left. Home. Hearth. I am the Last Olympian. You must remember me when you make your final decision."
She nodded, slowly, mind filled with confusion, running rampant with thoughts and questions. "I have to go with Nico, Lady Hestia. I have to stop Annabeth…Kronos."
"Very well, then," Hestia stood. "I cannot help you further, except to send you to your next destination. But we will meet again, Thalia Grace. On Olympus. Let us hope that meeting is a happy one."
With that ominous goodbye, she waved her hand, and Thalia felt black envelope her.
-X-
"WE NEED TO find your mother," Nico told her.
Thalia stiffened instantly at his words, baring her teeth. They were in Central Park, under the shade of a particularly large oak tree. She couldn't identify the feeling which filled her chest at that moment, at the words he had uttered. She forced herself to turn from Nico before she pummelled him into the tree.
"My mother's dead," She said sharply, her tone hinting that he should drop it.
"I know." Nico's dark eyes flashed. This kid was too invested for his own good. Thalia wished Luke was here. He knew how to manage Nico. Hell, she would even settle for Bianca and the hunters. In the period he'd gone to stay and train with his father's generals in the Underworld, the son of Hades, although still bubbly and happy and generally nonchalant, had become more mature and insightful. He had done his research.
It was annoying.
"Before Annabeth did what she did, she went to her father. You need Beryl's blessings." Thalia felt rage fill her and she heard thunder boom above them, although it was still sunny up ahead.
"Don't, di Angelo," She warned. "My mother couldn't care less. I can do this without her."
"You can't," Nico snarked right back, brushing his hair from his eyes. "We need her blessing. You need to be on par with Annabeth. You need to be on the same level as her. Without this, you're nothing compared to Kronos." His voice was hard. "Now, are you ready to put aside whatever childish grudges you have, and get this done?"
Thalia's head hurt. Her hairs were standing on end. The girl looked around. No one was there except her and di Angelo.
She knew he was right. She had to let go if she wanted to succeed. But…it was just so hard. The blue eyed girl inhaled. She had to stop being selfish. She had to stop thinking about herself.
"Fine," she muttered. "Let's get it over with."
Satisfied with her answer, Nico nodded. Thalia huffed, and asked, "Why are we here anyways?"
"There's an entrance to the Underworld in the park," Nico began walking as he talked, and she followed. They came to a stop in front of a clump of rocks, sort of like Zeus' Fist, but less impressive.
"This is it?" Thalia asked, flatly.
Nico tilted his head to the side, eyes glinting strangely. "My father's Kingdom has two major entrances. You've been to the one in LA?"
She nodded, remembering Charon's ferry and the quest to find her father's master bolt. Those were simpler times. "Well, this is the second," The skinny boy gestured to the boulders. "Harder to find, smaller and less known. The Doors of Orpheus."
"Oh." Thalia knew the story. The musician who had tried to bring his wife back to life and failed miserably, like all Greek heroes tended to do. "Doesn't look much like a door to me, but if you say so." She shrugged.
"How does it open?"
"We need music," Nico's brow furrowed, as though he hadn't really thought it through. He glanced sideways. "Don't worry, I won't bother asking. I've heard you sing at campfires."
"Hey!" Thalia tried not to feel offended. He wasn't particularly wrong, but still. She ran a hand through her hair. This was one of the times when Grover would come in handy. She missed the stupid satyr. Where in Zeus' name had he ended up this time?
Thalia glanced around. Her eyes narrowed when she spotted the shimmer of a black cloak, disappearing through some trees. She had felt like they were being watched…
Her eyes met Nico's and she motioned to the trees with her head. He frowned, and nodded. Thalia unfurled her spear and took the lead. They entered the trees silently. The daughter of Zeus spotted the cloak once more, disappearing through some branches.
"Feels like something wants us to follow," Nico murmured. His stygian iron sword was out, and it was pulsing and radiating death. Thalia tried to ignore it as they walked, through the disturbed branches and after the figure.
They appeared in a clearing, surrounded by a grove of trees. There were two figures in the leaves. One of them was sitting, cloaked in black. She looked up—a dryad. She had a green face, and short closely clipped orange hair, with shocking green eyes. Sort of like Percy's. Thalia's heart ached. She missed him.
The dryad was smallish. She was a girl, really. Her eyes were wide as they caught on the spear and the sword. Beside her, Nico let out a gasp. "Grover!"
Thalia allowed her eyes to slide away from the girl to the lump in the grass. Emotion shattered in her, and then she was racing forward, and falling on her knees beside the dryad.
"What's wrong with him?" Nico was beside her in an instant. Their friend was on his back, looking ashen, hair matted with sweat. His fists were clenched.
"We don't know," The girl said, softly. "He's been like this for a while now. You are demigods. I thought you could help."
"Two months," Thalia murmured. Was this how long he'd been asleep?
"We didn't try to wake him at first," The girl continued. "You see, dryads aren't good with time. But then he started screaming in his sleep, and we tried, and he wouldn't wake. I used my magic to enter his head once. And I saw you," she nodded to Thalia. "And some other godspawn…dying."
Thalia's mouth felt dry. "Grover," She shook him. "Grover wake up."
He didn't stir. "What's your name?" Nico addressed the nature spirit.
"Prickly Pear," She said, shyly, glancing down.
"Thalia, think you can shock him awake?" The son of Hades questioned. Thalia tried not to panic. Grover was breathing just fine, and he wasn't dead, which was clear, since he hadn't turned into a shrub yet. But she still couldn't help the worry which overrode her.
"I'll try," she clenched her jaw, spreading one hand over Grover's chest. Lightning sparked in her fingers. The daughter of the King placed it on his body.
Grover jerked, mumbling something about demons and too much light.
"It's not working," Thalia barked.
"Relax," Nico shot back. "And try again." They had made a promise to Juniper to find him. Thalia had to keep that promise.
She stretched out both her hands over her friend, and placed them on him, causing electricity to arch through her fingers and into his body. Grover spasmed, once, twice, then sat up with a gasp.
He was sweaty, his eyes were bloodshot, and he was panting. But he was alive.
"Thalia," He cried. He grabbed her, crushing her into a hug. "Nico!" Instantly releasing her, he pulled the son of Hades to him, and Nico returned the hug. "You're alive."
"What happened to you?"
The satyr glanced around wildly, then relaxed. His face darkened. "I was walking in the woods by Harlem Meer. And I felt this power, so I started following the scent. There was this man, long black coat, top hat. He didn't cast a shadow, and it was the middle of the day. It was Morpheus." Thalia's eyes clouded over.
"I followed him here, through the city. He was examining the buildings or something. Then he met up with Hecate, just beyond those trees. They were talking about "The Great Stirring" and "The Main Event." Hecate mentioned something that would take the mortals out of the equation."
"You confronted them," Nico guessed.
"And Morpheus put you to sleep," Thalia surmised.
"Right before Hecate cursed me with nightmares, yes," He added, shakily. "How long have I been asleep?"
Thalia exchanged a glance with her travel aid. He glanced back at Grover, unease rippling through his expression. "Two months."
"WHAT?" Grover exploded. He sat up straight, attempting to stand. Prickly pear pushed him back down.
"You're in no condition to go screaming again," The child berated.
"Juniper's worried sick," Thalia told him. "You're all she's been talking about."
"Gods," He moaned. 'She'll kill me."
"Of course," Nico chuckled darkly, standing.
"You have to get back to Camp," Thalia told him. "Warn Luke and Chiron about what you heard." Grover nodded. Nico spoke up, "This just proves there's going to be an invasion. We need to get going with our plan."
"What plan?" The satyr questioned in confusion.
They told him the long and short of it, leaving out important details, thanks to the presence of the little girl. Thalia didn't mean to distrust her, but she was a stranger, and she could be on Annabeth's side.
"I could help you open the doors," The nymph shrugged. With a nod from Nico they were moving again, all four of them, back to the clump of unimpressive boulders.
The girl broke into a tune, with a voice like a songbird. Thalia watched in mild awe as the rocks shook and cracked open, revealing a crevice. She peered inside. It was dark, and she could smell the death wafting up into the air. She didn't like it already.
Thoughts of the Labyrinth filled her head.
"Thank you," She nodded to the dryad. Prickly Pear nodded back.
"I have to rally up the rest of the nature spirits, then," Grover murmured. "If Kronos is really going to invade. Maybe we can help. We'll try to find Morpheus and Hecate."
"Ready to go?" Nico asked. Thalia nodded, licking her lip. She exchanged a quick hug with Grover.
"You guys be careful down there," The satyr warned. "Don't die."
"This is Ghost Boy's home turf," Thalia tried for a smile. "What could go wrong?"
-X-
"Where to next?" Thalia asked as they walked. The stairs went on forever. They had been walking for what seemed like hours, but honestly, she had lost track of the time a long time ago. It was completely dark, except for the glow of the tip of her spear.
"We just need to get to the Banks," He murmured. "I've summoned your mother before. I can do it again."
"Wouldn't you be overexerting yourself?" She asked, trying something, a last-ditch attempt to stop what he was planning to do. She didn't ask why he had communed with Beryl Grace's ghost.
"Yes, but I think that's a me problem, Thalia," He rolled his eyes.
"I don't think Bianca would appreciate you burning out just to accommodate me," She said, right back.
He winced, but ignored her. They kept walking, in silence. After what seemed like another three hours, she spoke up, "What brought about this idea in the first place, di Angelo? How'd you know what Annabeth had done?"
He hesitated, then shrugged, "I remember the fight on Mount Tam last year. Luke hit her, and it bounced off. I spoke with some ghosts. Achilles was one of them. They confirmed my suspicions."
"And then I realised we wouldn't be able to beat her without you doing the same," He glanced back to meet her eyes. "My dad wants me to be the Prophecy child, you know." Thalia pursed her lips. "He…he wanted me to bring you down here, so he could capture you. And then I'd be the one who saves the world." He snorted. Thalia's blood ran cold and she stopped.
In front of her, Nico stopped too. He turned, "What, you don't really think I'd do that, do you?"
She hesitated, then said, "I suppose not."
They kept walking.
"He wanted to trade you for information on my past," His voice was sombre now. "When I refused, he got mad and didn't tell me anything. But I found out anyway." He brushed past that, and continued. "Father refuses to go to Olympus' aid. Demeter and Persephone are here with him, waiting things out. He thinks Kronos will destroy Olympus and you'll fail. And then Kronos will come here, I'll somehow have morphed into this magical worthy hero and destroy him." He rolled his eyes.
Thalia shook her head. She could never understand gods.
"I reached out to Bianca," He continued. "She told me to try to help you instead." Nico looked at her again, and his eyes were filled with love as he spoke about his sister. Thalia didn't want to imagine what would have happened had things gone wrong somewhere and the daughter of Hades had perished along the line. She influenced so much of her brother's life, it wasn't hard to see that he would probably have done what Hades had suggested had his sister not been there to ward him off it, like he had been quick to do last summer on his false "quest" from Hades to raise their mother.
They walked, for another three paces, and then the tunnel opened up into darkness—Erebos. They emerged at the base of a cliff, on plain black volcanic sand. Thalia glanced to her right, where Hades' Kingdom stood tall and strong. To their right, the river Styx gushed, filled with broken things and the memories of the perished, black and despondent as ever.
A chill descended over her.
"Father might still try to capture you anyways," Nico warned. "So we have to hurry and get out of here." They approached the edge.
Nico shut his eyes, exhaled, and began murmuring in Ancient Greek, almost too fast for her to decipher. He was chanting. Nerves set in, and she felt gnawing in her stomach.
Suddenly, he broke off, falling to one knee. The older demigod grabbed him before he could fall over. "Here, have some ambrosia," She pushed two squares into his mouth. Nico's powers were something else.
"Thalia," The voice made her go still.
She involuntarily flashed back to the past. She heard screaming, her baby brother crying, saw beer bottles. Thalia stood, breaking away from Nico, slowly. She didn't turn.
She couldn't. Her eyes were fixed on the river before her, and she gritted her teeth, clenching her eyes shut. No. The impact of what Nico had just done hit her. Maybe if she ignored it, it would go away.
No. She didn't think ghosts worked like that.
Thalia turned, slowly. Pain grabbed her heart, making her head spin. She lilted on her feet, biting her inner cheek so hard she tasted blood. "My, how you've grown," The ghost marvelled.
Thalia's eyes peeled open and she cast them outwards, hurt filling her at the words. Beryl stood before them. She looked young again. Beautiful. Colourless, but beautiful. Her hair was tied back in a bun, and she was in that white dress Thalia knew she'd been buried in. Her brown eyes watched Thalia, filled with so much love it made Thalia sick.
"You know why I'm here," She forced the words out of her mouth. "Don't make this any harder for both of us."
Her mother's smile faded. Sadness overtook her features. "You hate me."
Thalia didn't answer. The ghost had that wispiness of the asphodel spirits. Behind her, Nico was catching his breath on all fours. "Why shouldn't I?" Thalia spat.
This woman…this woman had been the cause of everything. She had allowed Hera to take away her brother…her Jason. She had drank, she had yelled, she had hit, lost her job, made them poor, and then finally, she drank her way to an accident and then to the Underworld.
And Thalia hated her so much for it. She couldn't forgive her, and the pain, the agony which was coming with seeing her again…Thalia didn't think she could handle it. She glanced away.
"I'm sorry," Beryl really sounded repentant. "I shouldn't have allowed your father's absence to affect me like it did." She reached out, and Thalia winced when she felt the cold on her cheek, where her mother had attempted to stroke her.
"I should have raised you," she murmured. "Watched you grow. But…after Jason—"
"I grew up on my own," Thalia's eyes flashed. "Without you, without Zeus, and without Jason."
"I know," Beryl smiled, sadly. If ghosts could cry, then that was sure as hell what she was doing. "And I'm proud of you for it."
Her heart ached. She wanted to be two again, when everything was okay, when Zeus visited, when her mother was pregnant and she sang Thalia to sleep and braided her hair with flowers. But she wasn't that girl anymore.
"You don't deserve this life, Thalia," Beryl told her. "You deserve the stars, you deserve the universe. You have my blessing. Save this world, and make a place for yourself in it."
She drifted back. Thalia didn't feel any different. She watched as her mother began to fade away. "If it's any consolation, your brother…he's alive. He's in California. Oakland Hills. You'll find something there. Your friend, the blond one…when the time comes, tell him to find Jason." She paused. She was disappearing into the mist now, and her last words were barely a whisper. "I hope one day, you'll both find it within yourselves to forgive me."
Then she was gone.
-X-
"So…I jump in?" Thalia tried to keep her raging emotions in check.
Nico sat up. "Prepare yourself first. Or the river will destroy you. It'll unravel the very thing which forms your soul." She wasn't in the mood for any jokes or long talk, so she simply nodded.
"You have to—" He stopped suddenly with a start. Thalia followed his line of view and her eyes widened. Where Beryl Grace had stood a few seconds ago, there was another ghost. He was clad in greek armour, a complete breastplate, grieves, cloak. He was tall and buff and blonde, with blue-green eyes, and a scarred face. He wore a white tunic and held a plumed helmet under his arm. There was an arrow sticking out his left calf, just above his ankle.
"Achilles," The name fell from her lips without her realising she was uttering them.
The ghost nodded, tilting his head to the side. "It seems the women of this age are the warriors instead of the men. I spoke with the one before you, and I shall speak with you too."
"You spoke with Annabeth?" She questioned sharply.
"Do not tread this path, daughter of Zeus," He told her. "It shall increase your strength, but it shall also make you extremely weak. Your prowess and your battle skills will increase considerably. But likewise, so will your faults and failings."
"You mean I might die like you did," Thalia arched a brow. Was he not aware of the invention of shoes? Achilles seemed to read her mind.
"It is not the physical weakness which I speak off. I was killed by the injury, yes," He agreed. "But in truth, my own arrogance was my end. Beware! Turn back!"
Thalia could hear the regret and the bitterness in his voice. He looked distraught. She could see it in his eyes.
But Annabeth hadn't turned back. And Thalia hadn't just stood through talking to Beryl once more for nothing.
Annabeth was invincible now. She had bathed in the Styx. She had taken on the powers of the greatest hero of all time. And now it was Thalia's turn.
"I have to," Thalia told him. She didn't like how it sounded like she was trying to convince herself and not him.
Achilles looked displeased. He sighed, and said, "Let the gods witness that I tried. If you must do this, concentrate on your mortal point. Imagine one spot on your body that will remain vulnerable. That is the point where your soul will anchor your body to the world. It shall be your greatest weakness—no man or woman may be completely invulnerable. Lose sight of what keeps you mortal and the River Styx will burn you away." Thalia filed part of his information for later. It meant Annabeth had a mortal point too.
"Thank you," She nodded to him. With another sombre nod in response, the hero vanished into mist.
"Thalia," Nico's voice was uneasy. "Maybe this was a bad idea."
She turned to glare at him. "This was your idea."
He winced. "I know, but—'
"Just wait here," She waved him aside. There was no turning back now. "Maybe Hades will get his wish and you'll be the prophecy child after all."
"Thalia…" His voice had a tinge of alarm in it. She tuned out his voice, focusing on the underside of her arm, right below her left armpit. No one would be able to hit it, and few enemies would aim there on purpose. It seemed right.
"If anything happens to me, tell Luke," She met his eyes. "Tell Luke I'm sorry. And tell Percy I love him." She pictured a string, attached to that part of her body.
And she jumped.
-X-
Intense pain hit her when she hit the water. It felt like acid, so concentrated she could feel her skin peeling off. Thalia submerged completely, and a scream ripped itself out of her throat as the water tried to pull her deeper. The sound was muffled by the waves.
Panic flared through her system as she remembered, quite too late, that Zeus and Hades children didn't mix with water. She couldn't breathe, the pain made her want to scream and it was wracking her body. She couldn't describe it.
Every nerve in her body was on fire. She was drowning, the pain too much for her to try to kick back up to the surface. She felt like she was dissolving in the water, coming apart. As she sunk and drowned faces flashes before her—Luke, Rachel, Beryl, Jason, Chiron, Grover, Annabeth—but they faded away just as fast.
Thalia pressed her body to act and burst out of the river with a scream, reaching out. Nico was running forward, but there was water in her eyes, and she was down again, pulled by the power of the Styx. She was drowning. Rachel's painting.
She was losing. The pain. The pain was too much. The pain was unbearable. Her appendages were lead and her soul was being pulled out of her body. She couldn't…who…who was she?
Her mind went blank. Was was going on? Why was she being tortured?
"I am several millennia old, girl," A voice full of disdain. "I am not just a child. I'm older than most of those pesky gods, anyways." A face, dark hair, floated into her vision. The first dream meeting.
"Thank you, Thalia," His tone, soft. "For trusting me." Green eyes, as bright as the rainforest, filled with power, several dream meeting later.
"You too," His smile, bright. "Don't do anything reckless while I'm gone." When he was leaving Camp Half-Blood.
And then he was there, Percy, her Percy, smiling at her and rolling his eyes. "The cord, Thals. Your lifeline." He was stretching out his hand. "Nevermind, take my hand. I'll save you." And she was reaching out, grasping his arm, and it sent electricity coursing through her veins. His hold was tight, as though he was really there. He was standing over the canoe pier, looking at her as though she was the one who didn't understand maths. He was trying not to laugh, dressed in the orange camp tee and jeans they'd given him after the Battle of the Labyrinth, before he'd left.
"You're an idiot," He reminded her. "See why you need me?"
Memories were flooding her now. Ogygia. Percy. Camp. She was Thalia Grace. Daughter of Zeus. The pain turned into a dull ache.
And then suddenly she was spat out of the River. Thalia collapsed on the sand, crying, coughing, wheezing. But she was okay.
She was alive.
-X-
PERCY shook his head at the offer of a drink. He couldn't really describe the turmoil or variety of emotions and feelings circling through him then. He glanced around. The living room they'd taken him into was quite big—Calypso was living in style.
He tried not to feel bitter. He didn't like her, yes. And he didn't think he'd ever be able to forgive her. But he had Thalia now. Calypso didn't matter.
Said girl said opposite him in the middle of Prometheus and Perses, who apparently were sharing her residence for the weekend. Her fingers were intertwined with Perses' and he tried not to let his gaze linger on them for a second more than was necessary.
Perses had tried to attack when he'd realised who it was, but he'd said he just wanted to talk, swearing it on the Styx. He'd promised them no harm, and warily, they had invited him back with them.
"Perseus, I'm sorry for—"
"Save it," He raised his hand, unable to help his hostility. "I'm not here for your apology, Calypso." She pursed her lips, almond eyes flashing in pain. Percy remembered those lips against his. Those eyes, promising him the world.
His heart thumped.
Hate. He had held so much hatred for this girl, for everything she had done to him. She had made him so scared to try again. She had shattered his ability to fall in love, especially since the first few years of his curse. But the years had passed, and just as his solitude had changed his view on the wars, it had changed his thoughts about her too.
"I'm not here to see you, in particular," He told her.
His eyes found Prometheus'. The other Titan was watching him through hooded narrow eyes, his hand on his beard, long platinum blond hair reminding Percy of that Harry Potter character Thalia was always talking about—Lucien or Lucius or something. Thalia liked to read, whenever she got in her feelings, remembering the former Annabeth who had been her best friend.
At Calypso's other side, the burly dark haired man motioned at him to speak. He did.
"I have a proposition for you. There's a war coming. We can't avoid it. And this time, we need to act."
A/N: Done. Reviews?