Blindingly white light reflected off of equally unnaturally white marble blinded Thalia as she stepped into the throne room of the gods. There sat the twelve Olympian lords seated upon their (mostly intact) thrones. While the pale stone had escaped the damage from Kronos relatively unscathed, both Demeter and Dionysus' thrones were clearly worse for wear. Once blooming and bountiful with evergreen harvest and vineyards were now withered husks of dead plant material, barely recognizable to even the most skilled botanist.

"Such are the ravages of time," Demeter sighed, waving her hand, grains sprouting anew. "And yet the cycle continues. To think the Titan of Time would be so blind to this truth."

"A fitting end to one who sought to defy the Fates! They shall tell ballads of the battles waged today for eons to come!" Apollo added exuberantly. Zeus shot his son a withering look and the sun god sheepishly sank back into his seat.

"Now, shall we begin?" Zeus announced. "Demigods. You fought valiantly against insurmountable odds today. Olympus will never forget your sacrifices in this great battle for the eons!"

Apollo shifted as if he wanted to say something but quickly reconsidered and returned to sulking. "Each one of you here is a worthy hero in their own right. And yet, we are gathered so rarely as twelve to acknowledge the outstanding efforts of a select few."

Zeus nodded to Athena who rose, calling Annabeth forward and announcing the reconstruction of Olympus, headed by her own daughter. Awestruck, Annabeth returned to her place in the crowd muttering something incoherent about plans and blueprints. Lost in her own world, she fumbled for a pen in her torn pants pockets, her hands sticking straight through the torn fabric.

"Perla, I need a pen, gimme Riptide," Annabeth whispered, nudging her friend.

"What? No way!" Perla protested. "Wait, can you even use it as a pen?"

"I'll figure it out, just give it here!"

Reluctantly, she pulled the pen from her one good pocket left in her jeans and handed it over to the daughter of Athena. Annabeth quickly went to work assessing every bit of the pen. Perla winced a bit when Riptide was accidentally unsheathed, bronze glinting brightly in the white of the room.

"Sorry!" Annabeth shouted, realizing she had interrupted the ceremony.

"Athena…" Zeus sighed. "Please control your progeny."

"Annabeth dear," Athena chided.

"Got it!" Annabeth answered back, quickly scribbling down notes on her hand.

"Huh," Perla and Thalia both wondered aloud.

"LET US PROCEED," Zeus commanded, his voice shaking and echoing in the ears of every demigod in the room. "Perla Jackson, step forward."

"Yes," Perla answered sheepishly, pacing slowly into the center of the throne room.

"Perla Jackson. Without a doubt your contributions are among the most notable in this war effort. With the help of Annabeth Chase, you two managed to stop Kronos and disperse his body and spirit more thoroughly than even I could have done. Well, given the time frame of course."

"Three of us," Perla retorted, before catching herself. "The three of us, Lord Zeus. Luke Castellan regained control and allowed us to assist in ending Kronos. He was just as much a hero as the rest of us here."

Silence momentarily filled the air. Rarely did anyone speak out against the King of Gods and live to tell the tale. Some of the demigods tensed up nervously, other waited with bated breath. The next few seconds passed like pitch flowing. The tension building with each passing microsecond.

"Hmm," Zeus pondered, stroking his large white beard. "Indeed, a hero. Very well. Three Heroes of Olympus. Hermes."

"Yes!" Hermes shot up in his seat looking even more frazzled and nervous than usual.

"You shall oversee the burial and honors personally. I trust you can handle this in addition to your duties?"

"I-yes, yes. I shall see it done," Hermes bowed, his hands gripped tightly to his armrests, voice cracking with emotion.

"But Perla Jackson, we have come to a consensus offer," Zeus said, returning to the conversation at hand. "Your actions here today befit legend indeed. As such, we have decided to offer you godhood and a chance at immortality."

The entire audience went silent once more and all light in the room seemed focused on the young girl. Soon, chattering ensued as the absurdity of the offer before her sank in. Yet, to three girls, it was nothing but white noise as they considered how quickly their lives could change in the next few moments.

"Lord Zeus," Perla began. "This offer…"

"Is a once in a lifetime opportunity," Poseidon finished. "Consider carefully my daughter."

"Bah! What is there to consider brother? Are we not offering her a chance at every mortal's dream?" Zeus questioned.

"It was not meant as a slight against you brother," Poseidon answered, his voice now dangerously low like waves crashing on rock.

The once brilliant room began to darken and the smell of ozone filled the air, stinging at mortal noses. The air buzzed and the floor rumbled as the two gods began to grip their weapons. Eyes narrowing at each other, feet shifting with their weight, the two began to rise from their thrones.

Thalia's mind was racing at a thousand miles and hour. Not because of the potential godly MMA match that was about to start before her eyes and most likely vaporize her entire being instantly, but because of the offer Perla had been presented and the opportunities it entailed. Would she take it? What would happen if she did? Is there any way to convince her not to? Would I ever see her again? Would I ever get to hear the end of what she was saying earlier?

A million questions burst into her mind and as she tried to sort and compartmentalize her thoughts, every second that passed felt more and more like someone was driving a blade through her heart. But why? They could both be immortal and still see each other. But what about Annabeth?

No. Thalia shook her head. It's not about Annabeth.

Her thoughts now clearer, she glanced up once more at Perla. She gazed at her shoulder length dark hair, still shiny, but matted with blood and dust from battle. Her olive tan skin that almost glowed the same bronze as her blade. The tattered orange shirt that hung from her tired body paired with blue combat jeans specially made for this fight. Her lips that were tensed into a tight line as she pondered the same questions herself. And those eyes. Piercing green that cut through it all as if they could see right through her.

Thalia caught her breath for a second. She'd made up her mind. It was a gamble, but one she had to take or regret it forever. Maybe that was one thing she'd inherited from her mother, she scowled.

"Father-Lord Zeus," She called out. "While you give Perla time to decide, could I make a request of my own?"

Perla turned, relief spreading over her face now that she wasn't on the spot anymore. Her eyes silently thanking Thalia for the reprieve. Thalia nodded at her.

"Mine own daughter requests something of me now?" Zeus asked, the buzzing calming slightly.

Thalia shook her head. "I apologize, but not from Lord Zeus. From my Lady Artemis."

Artemis turned her silver gaze to her Lieutenant for but a moment, yet Thalia felt as if she'd been thoroughly searched. The lunar goddess' expression hardened momentarily before relaxing once more. "You may speak Artemis."

"Thank you, Lord Zeus," Artemis bowed. "My Lieutenant. What is it you request?"

"I wish to resign as Lieutenant and forfeit my position as a Huntress under the condition that I am no longer fit for duty under my Lady," Thalia announced loudly.

Perla and Annabeth rushed over to her side in a flash. "What are you doing?" They both asked. "Are you crazy?"

"Are you for even hesitating about taking a promotion like godhood?" Thalia joked back halfheartedly.

"Very well," Artemis agreed, smiling sadly.

"Thank you my Lady," Thalia bowed. "I can only hope I served adequately in Zoë's stead."

"You were a wonderful Lieutenant in your own right. Thank you for your two years of dutiful service, sister."

Thalia rose, holding back tears in her eyes as she turned back to hug her friends once more. Her body shone silver for a brief moment before she felt the blessing of the Hunt fade from her flesh. She sighed and smiled.

"Thalia you… you just gave up everything," Perla said, breath taken.

"Not everything," Thalia corrected.

Annabeth's eyes widened as she took a step back. "The reason you said you weren't fit… are you?"

"Perla Jackson," Thalia started, grabbing the girl's hands. "I love you. God or not. And I am never saying this again in front of a crowd like this so take it in while you can."

She could feel Perla's hands heating up and begin to sweat as she spoke. The daughter of Poseidon's face turned beet red once more like it had near the fountain. Thalia's confidence welled even more for a moment before she settled back to just average nervousness.

"Thalia…" Perla began before trailing off.

Thalia squeezed her hands tighter. "It's okay. You always know what's right and what's wrong when it comes to your friends. I trust you."

Perla's face relaxed as she smiled ear to ear at Thalia, tears beginning to stream down her face. "I love you to Thalia Grace." She said turning back to the thrones. "Father, Lord Zeus. I know what my decision is."