Lea was incredibly confused when she awakened the next morning and maybe a little offended. How dare he just leave her alone like that! Sure, she understood why, and she was thankful that he did, but at the same time, he just disappeared. He didn't even let her say anything! She was being unreasonable, she knew; but dammit!
She had to force herself to calm down especially once she passed a mirror and saw the way her mageia moved about in her eyes like solar flares. She had to remind herself that what he had done was respectful even if it was uncomfortable to know that he was lusting after her. And yes, she did know how attracted he was to her. His thoughts were not quiet! But it was different to have that knowledge when she had been dressed in that. She cast a distasteful glance at the fabric sitting on top of the bed in the room that she had been given. It was noticeably bigger than what Medea and Magnus had received which she had written off as something to do with that whole twice-blessed mess.
From the window of the small lodge that they were staying in, Lea could see dryads and nymphs— and were those pixies? — weaving solar mageia back and forth in blanket-like spells that coated the land around them. It made something ache inside of Lea though that may have more to do with the fact that her own mageia was still moving uncomfortably within her like an ill-fitted dress. She could see Salome and Arkas both being given baths from the people around them; the coat on Salome was shining brightly.
A knock on the door sounded and Lea turned to see Apóllōn and Huákinthos walking into the room arm and arm. They looked so beautiful together that Lea almost felt jealous.
"Khaíre, Leaneíras," the golden god smiled, every single last one of his brilliant white teeth showing. Lea wished he stopped doing that. He looked like he just committed five war crimes and was working a third, and Lea still will not admit how much it made her want to run away from his sight. And there was no Drew or Hermes around that could distract her from the fight or more accurately flight feeling that ignited within her.
She bowed her head. "Hi."
"I welcome you to Hyperborea," he continued on. "Though it has gained many names over the eons, I believe you may have heard of them. Ah, Avalon and Álfheimr and Ásgarðr and Svargaṁ and a few more that I cannot think of at the moment." He spread his hands outwards. "I promise you that Hyperborea has it all. The nine maidens of Avalon, the famous hall, Sudharma, unrivaled among all the princely courts of Svargaṁ, the Ljósálfar of Álfheimr, and as you already know, the three sons of Bur of Ásgarðr."
"The what?"
"Light-elves," he explained. "Very different from what that accursed poet Snorri wrote." He gave a sharp laugh. "For them to be fairer than the sun to look at then that means that they would have to shine brighter than I or brighter than Hêlios himself!"
"Impossible."
"Very much so."
Lea pursed her lips. "I don't suppose you're here to burst us out?"
He and Huákinthos laughed. "No," the latter said, shaking his head. "Father Ζεύς insists on certain rules. Hands off, when there's a human quest. Even when something really major is wrong."
Well, that's not fair.
"All I can do is gift you this," Apóllōn stated, holding out a solid gold feather. "When you speak with all three priests of Hyperborea, they will be most inclined to assist you in your endeavor."
Lea raised her brow as she accepted the feather. It was a bit heavy. "What is it? And I thought the whole twice-blessed thing was getting me V.I.P. status?"
"Tis a feather from a gryphoi," Huákinthos said, furrowing his brows a bit as he looked at her. "Though, I believe the common name for them now are griffins."
You know what, Lea thought. It was just better for her to believe that anything that seemed impossible was possible. She was tired of being surprised at this point.
"And as for being Twice-Blessed, well, the Boreades Hyperboreioi would keep you here," Apóllōn stated. "Hyperborea is a place untouched by war, hard toil and the ravages of old age and disease. The people here are blessed and long-lived. You are a child of Poseidón and the blessing of Hermês and a contender for the Great Prophecy. Why would they not want to assist you in hopes of you staying?"
Her facial features closed out. "I'm not staying here," she said forcibly. Sure, the place was pretty, but Lea had a life.
"And I agree," the god said, easily.
Huákinthos rolled his eyes. "He is saying that because this is his favored garden and he does not like people entering it. Honestly, it's my first time here." A bit shocking considering that the walls of the room were lined in his flowers.
Apóllōn patted his hand consolingly. "They would kick your friends out if you stayed and I believe the three of you are on a quest?"
Lea darted her eyes away. Technically, she was not. She snuck out of camp.
"Fear not. You shall not be punished," the golden god assured her. "I believe Hermês has already made excuses for you though Drew and your other two friends are not yet pleased. Alabaster found your note in the rubble."
Lea winced, already knowing how the three of them reacted to that. "You know on second thought; I think I'll stay here." And she ignored the second mention of his brother, rage and confusion still brewing in the back of her mind.
The lovers laughed.
She pursed her lips as she looked at them. "This is going to seem kind of crazy, but do you sense that?" She had been ignoring it since she got there, but maybe he could give her answers.
"Sense what?"
Lea turned her gaze back out the window; eyes lingering onto the mountains in the distance. "There is... there is something calling for me. Somewhere in the mountains."
Tension filled the room and she glanced back behind her. The two of them shared looks before Huákinthos cleared his throat. "What you may be feeling is Apóllōn's arrow. He had gifted it to one of the most infamous prophets of Hyperborea who used it to fly around the world and perform miracles."
Lea looked at the golden god who was staring past her. His gaze had darkened considerably, and Lea itched with the need to get even further away. Biting her lips, she hesitantly asked, "Isn't it... it's said that was the arrow that you... that you used to kill the cyclops after... after Uncle killed your son."
"Indeed it is," Apóllōn stated, turning to look at her with those gold-ringed eyes. It was like he was testing her or something. Lea hoped he didn't think she was going to steal it. First off, why would she want a murder weapon? And secondly, she knew that it wasn't a good idea to steal from the aliens. Just look at Luke. He had an upcoming date with Death and appointment with the Hell, so why would she risk that?
It was quiet for a moment before Huákinthos clapped his hands. "Well, this has been fun. It was nice seeing you again, Leaneíras. If you survive your quest, we should all meet up for lunch."
"If I survive," Lea spluttered but neither male answered her just continuing on out the door. "What do you mean If?"
The door closed soundly behind them, and she was left with nothing but questions and a gold feather.
Hermês stood a top of Mount Kyllini, staring out at the abyss of the world around him.
He had been there for hours now since the pleasuring his two cohorts did nothing to soothe the lust that still lingered within him. Every time he closed his eyes; he could see the way that Leaneíras had looked draped in those cloths.
For the sake of his own peace of mind, he needed the distance to get himself under some semblance of control. Lea was his friend.
Though he was even more annoyed to know that Hḗphaistos' cameras had picked up an image dressed in those clothing and now there was an uptick in the letters written to her.
Hm, would it be wrong of him to place them within Poseidón's messages? After all, he was her Father and he still held divine rights over her. And she was still very much his "guppy"; the only female demidivine child he had sired in many years.
Naí, that would work perfectly. No one would dare anger the oldest, noblest of them all.
A blast of rage swept over the world, seeping into the various domains that Hermês shared with Apóllōn. He turned his gaze onto his brother until his attention was caught by words that sent him into such a rage.
"Our prize red cows. Apollo is too busy to see them. He subcontracts to us. We breed them vigorously because there's such a demand."
"You kill the sacred cows of the sun god for hamburger meat?" the satyr said. "That's against ancient laws!"
Father reached out with a calming hand. A warning all in one. Do not interfere with the quest. Get revenge afterwards.
Hermês winced. Allowing Apóllōn to stew in his rage only made it worse for all involved. Árēs would remove his son from Gêryôn's side if he wished for the boy to still live in peace.
Either way, someone was going to die.
Hermês wondered if this meant that Apóllōn would be moving his cattle once more. It would do some good for him to place them in Hyperborea far away from the influence of those that would seek to harm them.
And speaking of the realm, if it weren't for the fact that it was clearly a sacred place for Apóllōn, Hermês would have burned the place down already.
The clothing that they draped his Leaneíras in was even more sinful than before. Hermês groaned, turning away from the scene and punching the stone harshly as he went.
He needed to go for a run.
It was a bit of a conundrum to figure out just who was more uncomfortable.
The demigods as the three priests of Apóllōn stared down at them from their gigantic thrones; though they were mainly staring at Magnus. Or the priests as Leaneíras looked as if she wanted to rip them apart and build the world out of their corpse. The stupid dress that she was in was just as bad as the first one even if this one resembled a seashell.
If it weren't for the fact that it was clearly a sacred place for Apóllōn, Leaneíras would have burned the place down already.
"I thank you," Leaneíras repeated once more through gritted teeth. "For your wonderful hospitality, but I am afraid that we must leave."
"Are you sure, blessed one," the one-eyed fool in the middle questioned. Leaneíras wanted to ring his neck. He kept talking in circles trying to draw out the need for them to exit or rather, trying to keep Leaneíras from leaving.
"Positive," she growled. She held the golden feather out to him. "I believe this shall be enough reason to pass?"
The youngest one, Vé, held his hand out and the feather flew into his palm. He examined it closely before sharing a look with his brothers and nodding his head. "Very well," he stated, turning his gaze back to her. "You may find an exit on the ship of the frozen."
"That's not ominous at all," Leaneíras murmured before speaking up. "And where is this frozen ship?"
"Beneath the southern slopes of the impassable Rhipaion mountains," Villi said, gesturing towards the windows. "Lays Pterophoros-a desolate, snow-covered land cursed with eternal winter. There you shall find the ship of the frozen."
"Wait, impassable?" Medea piped up from behind her. She was standing with Magnus and Salome since Arkas had returned to his dormant position on her necklace.
"The peaks of mountains were inhabited by gold-guarding Gryphoi and its valleys by the fierce, one-eyed Arimaspoi tribe."
"Wonderful." Leaneíras grumbled. "I don't suppose you can lend us a ride?"
"Of course, Lady Leaneíras," Óðinn smiled. "We'd be honored though we will only be able to provide a ride to the peaks for even we dare not to cross the mountains."
"Why," she asked. "Is there something to worry about?"
The brothers shared looks before turning back to her. "Beware of the sharp-beaked hounds of the All-Parent that do not bark, the Grypes, and the one-eyed Arimaspoi, mounted on horses, who dwell about the flood of Plouton's stream that flows with gold. Do not approach them."
Man, now what did that mean?
Vili clapped his hands and three pegasi flew into the room. Leaneíras grimaced at the bombard of voices as they recognized her as a "child" of Poseidón.
"These are our fastest stallions," the priest said. "They will be able to get you to Pterophoros as fast as needed."
"And I don't suppose the exit that you all use is readily available," she murmured, walking over to the cream-colored one.
Vili brightly smiled. "Only if you plan to join us, mi'lady."
She couldn't climb atop the pegasus fast enough.
In no time, the three of them were soaring through the air. Leaneíras took one glance beneath her, saw how far away she was from the safety of the ground and decided that she didn't want to see anything else.
(And to think that she took lessons on the ones at camp though admittedly that was much more of a low hover type of thing.)
Over the roaring of the wind, Leaneíras could hear Magnus and Medea conversing whereas she kept her eyes firmly shut. Humans were not supposed to be in the air! Literally, if she could then she would throw hands with whoever decided to allow a mortal in the air.
Nothing about it was safe and they would hear from her lawyer as soon as she kicked Hermes ass!
"What so we're in Jotunheim now?" Magnus remarked when they finally disembarked from the flying demon with hooves. Turning to him with a raised brow, Leaneíras couldn't help but to remark: "For a person that does not believe in the gods, you sure know your norse myths."
He shifted a bit, giving a small shrug. "My mom... she liked them so."
Leaneíras had nothing to say to that, turning to look back at the new place around her. For something was supposed to be desolate, it was a wonderous world of beauty. There were nymphs and sprites and pixies and all sorts of faeries, darting through the snow and skating across the ice. She saw a few of them whispering soothing words to the earth and flowers grew in full bloom, taking on the image of roses coated in snow. Polar bears and winter wolves and ice foxes and moose bounded around each other. She saw a few nymphs carrying bags of precious jewels, sapphires and multihued diamonds in particular. She saw one gem that seemingly changed shape every time the low rays of the sun hit it, morphing form a teardrop to a square to an oval and a heart and even a snowflake
Small children, small being a relative word considering that they were the same size as Leaneíras herself, were bundled up in clothing attached to the hips of their parents. The alluring scent of chocolate wafted through the air and someone on the other end called out about a fresh bout of eggnog.
Igloos as tall as 75½ Bedford Street; the Millay House stood by side with winter cabins. The scent of pine was strong. It felt like a fever dream. If Pterophoros was the north pole, then this was Santa's Village.
Santa Claus had better not be real.
Percy had told her that the mortals got the myth from Artemis and her chariot, but if this existed alongside that idea... Leaneíras was done.
"Look," Medea gasped, pointing over towards the snowdrifts where a nymphai was skiing. And just a bit behind her was a ship so beautiful that it made the Titanic look like a kid's drawing.
"Oh, man, I'm not dressed for winter," Leaneíras groaned.
"You're the only one of us dressed appropriately," she pointed out.
"You call this appropriate!?"
Magnus stifled a laugh. "I think she means that you're the only one dressed similar to the others and that it would help us blend in better?"
Leaneíras rolled her eyes. "Whatever."
"How are we going to get there," Magnus questioned with furrowed brows. "I would like to see my family. You said they were searching for me."
"What? You want me to ask for Dasher, Dancer, Prancer and Vixen? Why do I have to make all the decisions around here?" she huffed, holding on Salome's fur tightly. She cast a suspicious glance at the cave that the tiger emerged from.
"I thought being twice blessed offered special privileges," Medea mocked. Leaneíras eyed her, noting the mocking tone before rolling her eyes and turning away.
"Twice blessed," a voice yelped from behind them. The three turned. The person that spoke to them was... small. Very small. The size of a newborn baby except this thing?—person—being had wings. Pastel blue eyes that were light enough to look like the snow around them on an elfish face with clusters of thick hair surrounding their head like snowflakes had piled up. They were dressed in the same opaque fabric like Leaneíras that made it easier for them to blend in with the snow and the ice. Now that Leaneíras saw it in action, she could understand why those over in sunshine and rainbows land seem to think the place was desolate.
And then something moved behind them. Something huge with blue skin and icy-gray hair.
"What is that?"
The person glanced over their shoulder. "Oh, that's a giant. Demigods tend to call them Hyperborean Giants even though they technically do not live in Hyperborea. They are the inspiration to the frost giants of Norse mythology. In fact, the reason most of the people that recorded the poetic edda call them horrible and aggressive beasts was because they were the ones to aggravate them." They then flew close into Leaneíras' personal space. "Are you here for the tour?"
Leaneíras blinked, sharing looks with the other two. Well... "We most definitely are. I wanted to show Lady Medea and Sir Magnus all that Pterophoros had to offer."
The pixie smiled brightly, "Well I know everything that is to know about Pterophoros. I am Bomon, pixie guild of the second unit. And you are?"
"Hermaia," she blurted. She widened her eyes, putting on her best innocent expression. "My name is, um, Hermaia. Hermaia Stoll?" Leaneíras shook her head. "But yes. Yes! We are here for the, um, tour."
"Well follow me," the pixie cheered, looping around in a circle. Bomon blew some dust onto Magnus and Medea and Leaneíras couldn't help but to think about Tinker Bell and Pixie Hollows and Peter Pan.
All it takes is faith, trust, and a little bit of pixie dust.
They walked around the place for what seemed like ages, stopping by the storefronts to buy whatever caught their eye. Leaneíras bought almost a dozen gemstones taking advantage of the discount that came with being Twice-Blessed even if she hated everything else — like the clothes that she was wearing. Leaneíras sat down for a watercolor portrait that she made Medea miniaturize and then stuffed in her bra to not lose.
They circled the place until they got close to the ship. It would take ten thesauruses from different countries and probably eighty from dead languages for Leaneíras to properly describe how beautiful it was.
Leaneíras kind of want to reach out to touch it if she weren't so scared that her hand would freeze against it.
"It will not," Bomon stated, peeking down at them from where they were flying in circles above them. "You can touch it."
"How come," Magnus asked, moving closer to it as if he was in a trance.
"Well," Bomon started before going on a complete tangent. The three of them walked around the ship, oohing and aahhing at every word that Bomon said. The ship was named Skíðblaðnir and had been gifted to some old demigod from their godly parent and had been sitting there until it froze over after they moved to Hyperborea to be with their wife. The ship was crafted by the lame, forging god from the tree that some old king had cut down and gotten punished for. It was said to be big enough that all the gods that lived upon Olympos could travel aboard it with all their wargear and weapons in tow, and that, as soon as its sail is hoisted, the ship finds good wind, and goes wherever it need be. It is made up of so many parts and with such craftsmanship that, when it is not needed at sea, it may be folded up like cloth and placed into one's pocket.
"It must have taken a lot of magic and skill to create something like it," Magnus murmured.
"Of course, such fine craftsmanship is understandable for the God of Craftsmen." Bomon bragged. "The prophecy of Pterophoros says that it shall remain forever frozen unless the child born from the lineage of its owner shall one day free it from the ice and sail it across the skies! It will be the finest ship of the world!"
Oh, brother. Leaneíras rolled her eyes.
Medea stifled a laugh while Leaneíras stood behind Bomon, mouthing their words with exaggerated facial expressions. If there was one thing that Leaneíras was tired of, it was prophecies, and she didn't even have to really deal with them!
She then frowned as she realized that the ship was frozen and couldn't move. Oh, those asshole priests were trying to trick her into staying. Maybe to her into ice sculpture and then set her free long after all her loved ones were dead and gone leaving no one but the aliens!
Oh, they were good, but Leaneíras was smarter and prettier!
Everything went wrong as they were trying to find an excuse to linger.
Magnus had moved closer to the ship as if he were drawn to it. Bomon spun around in amusement while the girls looked on indulgence.
And then, the moment his foot touched the ladders, it was like the world turned upside down. The ice began to groan.
Medea and Leaneíras shared wide-eyed looks as a large crack appeared.
"Magnus," Leaneíras started, "What did you do?"
"Nothing," the boy panicked. A large chunk of ice crashed into the ground. "I just touched it."
Bomon plopped onto the ground, staring in amazement. "The prophecy..."
Magnus shook his head. "No way. That's... that's just a coincidence. I just learned about all of this today. I can't be some kid of a prophecy." Another chunk of ice fell showing off some rune from the viking age. It was shaped like a tree branch or a deformed F. Magnus reached out to touch it. "This is... My Uncle Randolph has something like this."
He backed away a bit. "I don't..."
Leaneíras licked her lips, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. "Hey, Magnus. I understand where you're coming from," she tried to soothe, but no one could ever say that she was comforting. This was new to her. "I've known about alien-gods and monsters for two years now and I still sometime believe that I'm having an extremely detailed hallucination."
He shook his head. "I just... when you first explained it to me and when Medea and I talked last night, the story just seemed to seep into my mind. Storms, wolves, gods, and now Asgard. The words clicked into place like pieces of a puzzle that I'd never had the courage to finish. I.. I believe you and that scares the baked beans out of me." He turned to look at her and Leaneíras nearly drown from the amount of fear that lingered in his eyes. "Please. Tell me this is all a coincidence."
"Things like this are not coincidences, dude."
Another sheet of ice dropped to the ground.
Magnus shook his head. "This... this kind of thing only existed in myths."
Medea gave him a sympathetic smile. "Myths are simply stories about truth that we've forgotten."
"I'm not some kid of a prophecy," he objected.
"And I'm not freezing in this outfit," Leaneíras snapped, eyes flashing as more ice dropped. "You want to go home, don't you? Put all this behind you and pretend that none of this ever happened? Gee, I've been wanting since I turned twelve and gain a stalker with delusions of grandeur!" She softened her voice. "Magnus, I promise that I will get you back to your family." If it came down to it, she'd even find the spell that was used to take her memories away and use it on him. "But this ship belongs to you now. And I want to see my family."
A shaky breath before he stepped further onto the ship. The vessel gave one last shuddering groan before it freed itself from the ice.
"Thank you for your service," came a nasally voice from behind them. "But we'll be taking that." Leaneíras turned and something slammed into her face. She screamed in pain, backing away as her hands came to clutch at her nose.
"Lea!" Medea screamed.
Blinking the stars out of her eyes, Leaneíras held one hand to her bleeding and quite possibly broken nose and pinned a glare onto the two fools standing in front of them. Bomon was sprawled on the ground in a bloody heap...the blue stuff spilling around them was considered blood. "Who are you," she murmured, voice coming horribly from the congestion.
"I am Cade," stated the redhead. He was wearing an oversized hoodie with baggy pants. There was a snake tattoo on his neck and well, honestly, that was all there was to him. He didn't look like anything special. He certainly didn't look like he belong anywhere near Pterophoros let alone Hyberborea.
"It doesn't really matter who we are," his friend said. This one had platinum blond hair with the same snake tattoo on his neck. And unless they were fraternal, they were much too old to still be dressed like twins. And that rat bastard was holding onto a spiked bat, clearly what he used to hit Leaneíras. "What matters is you stepping away from that ship."
He had better not have damaged her face.
Leaneíras scowled as Salome growled and moved to pounce. ''Down, girl," Leaneíras murmured, placing a soothing hand on the tiger. "Get Magnus to the ship and help Arkas defend it." The kitten gave a small whine. "I'll be okay," she assured, raising her hand and aiming her ring. A blast of mageia hit the redhead directly in the chest and he went soaring.
"Medea," Leaneíras called. "Suit up. Magnus, get to the ship." He was still untrained and Leaneíras had every intention of taking him back to his family alive. Medea didn't reply instead she just threw herself after the redhead and did her best to pummel him into the ice.
Leaneíras turned back to that asshole with the bat. "My soulmate is gonna be very displeased if you ruined my face," she told him. "And my best friend even more."
"Too bad that I don't actually care," the dude grumbled, swinging the bat at her again. Leaneíras moved back, jumping on the balls of her feet. Oh, its been awhile since she had a good fist fight. On his next swing, she ducked backwards before moving in and punching him quicker than he could bring it back up. Her fist crashed against his nose.
And yeah, that was payback bitch.
He cursed, falling back trying to block his face from view.
Silly rabbit, he left himself wide open.
Her foot connected right with his precious jewels and he gave a screeched that sounded like it would fit better in a soprano section of the school choir. As he was falling to the ground, Leaneíras followed it up with another punch to his jaw.
"Kill... you..." He murmured.
Leaneíras snorted. "Dude, I just killed any future children you planned on having. You might want to roll over and let the snow ice that for you."
Her gaze moved upwards to Medea where the girl was packing Cade down in a life-sized snowman. She had even transformed his nose into a carrot.
Hilarious.
"Come on, Medea. It's time to go."
The girl groaned loudly. "You're always ruining my fun." She stomped her feet as she walked back over. "Lea, look out!"
Leaneíras instantly duck and jumped backwards.
Mikey had gotten up.
"Shit, shit, shit," Leaneíras cursed, dodging the swipe of spiked bat. "What are mortals even doing here? What do you want the ship for?"
"Listen brat," Mikey stated. "We're getting paid top dollar to bring this back to the Triumvirate Holdings. I could finally get promoted from field work and get a better pension plan."
"Yeah, well, looks like you need to do some overtime," she snarled, kicking his legs out from under him and punching him in the face as his body met the ground. Cade was shaking free of his snowsuit, and they rushed back towards the ships.
"DUCK!" Magnus yelled and the girls hit the ground as something sailed passed them. Leaneíras chanced a glance behind her to see that those fools had guns.
"Give it up," the Cade dude yelled, aiming his gun for another shot. Leaneíras pushed Medea up onto the boat. "We just want the ship. You think I want to shoot a kid? Go home with that on my conscious?"
Did or did he not threaten to kill her earlier?
"Well, I wouldn't worry about that," Leaneíras turned back towards them, eyes blazing a furious green. "You won't be going home." No, the only place they'd be going was the nearest mental institute. She raised her palms into the air, letting her mageia coat her arms. "Make them hear what isn't there, their deepest worries come to bear!"
Similar to her enchanted knives, that spell brought their deepest fears to the front of their amygdala, the almond–shaped part of the brain associated with emotions, particularly fear, anxiety, and anger.
"Go! Go, go!" She yelled. Coming down the slopes of the mountains were what may have been the tribe of one-eyed men who lived at the foot of said Mountains; not doubt drawn by the sound of fighting and gunfire. Leaneíras couldn't really tell from that distance and she wasn't trying to find out.
"I can't get it to move," Medea yelled, slamming her hands down on the controls. Below them, the men were yelling and shooting at the air. It wouldn't be long before a stray bullet came flying their way. Leaneíras rushed over to them ready to push her out the way and get the ship flying through the sheer force of willpower when Magnus placed his hands on the wheel and the vessel groaned.
"How are you doing that," Medea demanded.
Magnus swallowed thickly. "I don't know."
"Well whatever you're doing, keep it up!" Leaneíras ordered, fumbling for the amethyst pendant. Shit. What was that spell? Um... "When you find your path is blocked, All you have to do is knock."
A bright blast of mageia hit the mountain of ice full on. Before their eyes, a large docking door carve itself free through the ice and Leaneíras could feel the seeping, darkness of the labyrinth wafting from it.
"Full speed ahead," Magnus yelled, crashing into it just as spears made of gold began to fly over their heads.
The three of them screamed as darkness descended over them.
WORD COUNT: 5267
Searching for Location - Location Found:
1) Percy and the Questers are currently at Triple G Ranch located somewhere in Texas
2) Lea and the Questers are currently in Pterophoros/Jǫtunheimr/Winter Wonderland
THINGS TO KNOW:
1) The southern border of Hyperborea was guarded by the bitterly cold peaks of the impassable Rhipaion mountains-home to Boréas. Its peaks were inhabited by gold-guarding Griffins and its valleys by the fierce, one-eyed Arimaspoi tribe. Beneath the southern slopes lay Pterophoros-a desolate, snow-covered land cursed with eternal winter. I just decided to give it people and everything on for my own peace of mind. I'm a spring child with a love for winter.
2) Jǫtunheimr, along with other lands such as Hel, constitute "the otherworld" in Eddic sources that is either journeyed to or from, often leading to a confrontation that forms the basis for the narrative. There is no single location that Jǫtunheimr are found in Nordic cosmology however, instead being travelled to by a number of different directions and often separated from the lands of humans and gods by a barrier that is difficult to cross such as bodies of water, fells, fire or forests.
2A) Which if you look at the fact that jǫtunn is usually defined to mean giant and that Ragnarǫk with the jǫtunn being enemies of the Norse gods then you could make comparisons to the Gigantomachy where the giants and Olympians are enemies. But also the jǫtnar are more accurately described as relatives of the gods so they would be more similar to the Titans.
2B) The Gigantes might have represented the primitive tribes of Thrake (Thrace), north of Greece, whose barbarian culture unfavorably contrasted with Greek civilisation.
3) With all that being said, I decided to utilize Jǫtunheimr similar to how Marvel and Rick used it for a land of frost when in reality, it would be just earth untouched by humans and where nature reign supreme.
4) Skidbladnir is a magical ship that belongs to the Norse god Freyr. Skidbladnir was built by Ivaldi's dwarven sons and had the ability to fly through the air and sea with great speed. The planks used to construct the ship are so thin that the ship can also be transported by simply folding it up.
4A) I can't explain how I'm using it because that would reveal Magnus' parent and its not time for that yet.
Comments from the Author:
1) While I was trying to find inspiration to really described Pterophoros, I was looking up places that dealt with snow and ice and winter and it led me to a page where it claims that Déspoina was also a greek goddess of winter and frost. It was the only mention of it that I found, but if it was true, then that goes to show another difference between she and her sister, Persephónē.
1A) That will also take make her domains: Goddess of The Arcadian Mysteries and Fertility, Mistress of the Labyrinth, and Goddess of Winter and Frost.