Happy New Year, everyone! Firstly thank you guys so much for picking up my story and reading it, and a shoutout to perseasasteriajackson, Valencia Gerard, Ainara Dragons' Lord, jolene0330, Juras Dss, Alude, Ailallin, PikaPro4, b6076b6076, cinnamongirlie, luna2018, Hope2311, thatonefangirl2987, Lucinda12232, Multi-Fan26 and Alirisha for favouring/following me! I love you all, and you have no idea how much it means to me that you like my story.
I would also like to thank the Guest (hi, if you have a nickname you would like me to call you, it'll be welcome. In a previous comment, you put kitsune so im wondering if you would like me to call you that) that has been commenting on my story, I love to read them, and I do try to make them happen as long as it can fit the storyline.
To other matters, I have decided that I will rewrite the story. Whether it will come before or after the sequel is to be decided. Also, this story is coming to an end, in case you didn't notice. How this happened, I also don't know. It's just been a year of constantly typing on my iPad and reading and posting my work but somehow, we're almost through! Let's go!
Replies:
Guest (26 December): I don't care if your English is bad, it makes my day that you even bother to comment on my story, thank you so much, it really moves my heart and I enjoy hearing your thoughts every time. ;)
Guest (26 December): Pets are the best. I wish I had a pet but honestly, I wouldn't be good at taking care of them. Aren't they just adorable, especially when you play with them. Cuddling them is amazing, they're just so furry (referring to a dog because I have never cuddled a cat) and cute. It's so nice that you have a cat to cuddle when you have bad days at school.
Guest (28 December): I'm going to come out strong here, but there is no need for apologies. Everyone has a right to rant, and I feel honoured that you're talking to me. You can talk to me about anything, I'm never going to find it weird or stupid because, truth be told, I understand what it's like to not be able to say what you truly feel.
Emily POV
Life wasn't fair. That was what Emily had been told by Persephone all throughout her life, and what she learns now, hundreds and thousands of years before Persephone and her ever met.
Not many came to watch Pegasus in his last moments. Why would they? Most of the people in the large camp knew of the old winged stallion who had lived with Emily and was her constant companion. Only a select few knew who he really was and how much he meant to the Olympians. It was those few who attended the pyre.
She thanked all who came.
Stella, Seren, and Jasmine stood back with Vulcan. When the fire burned down to embers, Vulcan came forward and scooped up some of the ashes. Saying nothing, he and his three assistants slipped away quietly and returned to their forge.
After a long, sleepless night, Emily rose and walked away from the camp. She needed time alone. Mike, however, never obeyed when Emily told him to stay. So, like it or not, the dog remained close at her side.
The large camp was still set up in the meadow. There had been no signs of Shadow Titans, despite them remaining there for some time. Emily had learned to feel when the Shadow Titans were near and knew they were safe for the moment.
She and Mike wandered along a beautiful, trickling steam. The sun was shining brightly overhead. Around them birds sang in the trees, and the huge, car-size butterflies she had always loved on Olympus fluttered from one oversized flower to another.
The day was perfect. But for Emily it meant nothing. She felt lost and alone without Pegasus at her side.
I am so sorry, Emily. I know how much you and Pegasus meant to each other.
"Riza!" Emily cried, shocked at her sudden return after so long. "Where have you been?"
Where I have always been, child. Deep within you.
"But why haven't you said anything? I've called for you, but you've been silent. We've been through so much. I really needed your help."
You don't need my help, Emily, not really. You did fine before I became known to you. You have done fine until now.
"But what happened? Where did you go?"
I never left. But when you received the knowledge of the Xan and Joel touched us, the information was too great and it was killing him. I did all I could to protect him, but it weakened me greatly.
"You saved his life?"
I had to. He is our Joel, how could I not when I knew I could? But after that, I was too weak to speak to you. Too weak to warn you away from your actions.
"You mean coming back here? I had to, Riza."
Yes, Riza said. It was very dangerous to try. You are playing with time, Emily. Not even the Xan would attempt that. There is no telling what damage could be done to the future with your presence here in the past.
"It couldn't be worse than what already happened to Olympus and possibly Earth. It was a risk I had to take."
I know, Riza said. I also know that you are young and need to make your own mistakes. So I have remained silent to let you do what you must. But when Pegasus died, part of you died with him. You must bring that part back if you are to succeed in this.
"You know what we are planning?"
Yes, Riza said. And I have come to realize that you were correct. I believe you were destined to be part of this war. But that does not remove the danger you pose to the future if you are not very careful. You must go to Tartarus to free the Hundred-handers. Then you will go to Titus to destroy that weapon. But heed my warning, Emily. Within you is the power to kill the strongest of Titans. That must never happen. You may destroy all the Shadow Titans you encounter. But if you kill a full Titan, you will alter the future.
"I'll be careful," Emily said softly. She sat down in the tall grass. Mike settled beside her, panting happily. He put his paw on her arm, asking to be petted. Emily stroked the dog's warm fur and pressed her face to him. "I just need a bit of time before we go."
Time is the one commodity you do not have, Riza warned. You already know this, but your grief over Pegasus is blinding you to it. The weapon is nearly complete. The Titans will use it against the Olympians the moment it is ready. Everyone here will die if you do not stop it now. There will be no future to protect.
Riza's words cut through Emily's grief like a knife. They were in grave danger, and she was wasting precious time. Jupiter had said she should take all the time she needed to recover. But that was something they couldn't spare.
Emily stood, now resolved. "Please tell me, Riza. If this works and if I destroy the weapon, will it reset time? At first I was certain this was the right thing to do. But now I don't know. Can you tell me: If I destroy that weapon, will Pegasus and Paelen be waiting for us on Xanadu like nothing ever happened?"
Yes. But also no. Riza sighed. Child, I must tell you. The past has been greatly altered. I have enough of my memories to remember this Titans' War. So far, it has not gone how I know it.
"What do you mean? What changed-" the words died in Emily's throat. "The three commanders." She whispered. "They do not belong."
They do not. I have never met them, never known them. And Emily. I fear you have a much harder battle ahead of you. The weapon will not be retrieved so easily. The princess, the one who goes by the name Prodosia. She takes an exceptionally liking for you. You will have to face her. You will have to confront your past. I fear you are not ready for that.
"Who are they?" She sat back down and rubbed Mike's head. "What could they possibly get from this war?"
It is nothing. Riza told her. They don't want anything, which makes them the hardest enemies you will face.
"Then why fight? Why would they fight? Why would they side with the Titans? Their actions make no sense, Riza!"
I do not know. But someone does. Seek out Pluto. He has encountered the enchantress and she has shared many details with him. They side with the Titans because of many reasons, but they do not want anything. They are powerful, Emily, and I think the only chance of winning you have is to convince them not to fight.
"After all the lives they have taken and the worlds they have crushed? Do you really think they would go down without a fight?" Emily said with disbelief.
Yes. I know people like them, people who are forced to keep their mouths close so they respond with actions instead. Listen to me, Emily. It would take a legion of Xan to defeat them, and I am only one. You cannot win with only me, child. In this matter, you are not the strongest, so you have to think instead of using brute strength. Appeal to them, they will listen. Convince them with what they want.
"How do you know?" Emily asked miserably. "They are the villains. How would they want anything when they can just take it?"
There was a pause. You have not matured enough, Emily, to know that the villains are the ones with the most tragic backstories.
Emily did not know how to respond to that so instead she repeated her question. Riza was kind enough to allow the change of subject.
Yes, child, she confirmed, if you succeed, time will go back to the way it was before the golden box was opened. All you have lost will be restored—including Pegasus and Paelen. But know this. There will be a price to pay.
Emily clung to Mike. "I will pay anything for things to go back to normal."
She pretended not to hear as Riza murmured, for you, I fear things cannot go back to normal if you do not talk to the three.
Emily returned to camp a changed person. Grief had been replaced by solid determination. Nothing was going to stop her from getting back to Pegasus.
She found Joel and Agent B and told them of Riza's return. "We have to go now," she insisted. "The sooner we finish this, the sooner we can get back to Xanadu."
They found the Big Three talking with Venus and Minerva, working out the finer details of the next move in the war.
When she saw Pluto, the words died in her mouth and what came out was, "Pluto, may I speak to you first?"
Joel kept asking her what's wrong, but Emily was stuck on what Riza had said.
When Pluto nodded his consent, she asked, "what did Góissa tell you?"
They all frowned and turned to Pluto who became paler than before. In a strangled tone, he asked, "who told you that?"
"Riza." Emily frowned. "She said… you know something about why they side with the Titans."
Pluto leaned against a pillar, running a hand through his black hair.
"Pluto, brother, what are you not telling us?" Jupiter frowned. "What happened with Góissa?"
"It was the day she destroyed the Acropolis. After the dragons." Neptune realised. "The day Prodosia had left her message."
"You were lucky she killed all of them and left you to mourn, brother." Pluto snapped. "There was nothing stopping Góissa. I was overwhelmed quickly."
"That was why you came back half-dead." Jupiter moaned. "Why did you not tell us?"
Joel mouthed "are you confused" at me and I gingerly nodded.
Pluto threw his arms out, affronted by everything. "I was still processing, alright? She threw a lot of wild accusations at me and she is an enchantress. It is her name, literally. Who knew if she was lying."
"Clearly, that's not the case." Minerva snapped. "What did she say?"
"She said…" Pluto sighed, defeated. "She said she was not impressed with our father, that she believed Prodosia would have led them to victory already. She said that she was a leader, but she will always listen to Prodosia because Prodosia has all their best interests at heart."
"Who is 'their' in her message?" Venus interrupted him. "She and Ekdikó?"
"The people she talks of. Those she lead." Neptune nodded. "Continue, brother."
"Prodosia could charm anyone she meets." At this, he snapped his fingers. "Then she says I would have also been charmed if not for what I did."
"What you did?" Emily cocked her head. "The two of you met before this?"
"To my knowledge, no. But Góissa seems adamant. She refuses to expand on that answer and instead attacks me." He rubs his shoulder. "She says she has nothing to lose. She throws a fit of rage when I claim the humans were innocent. She says you are all immortal, so I cannot experience loss. That the Gods act high and mighty but are nothing-"
"Nothing?" Joel prompted. Agent B was pale and quiet throughout.
Pluto sighed, wincing. "She cuts herself off when comparing the Gods. But it was her expression that caught me off-guard. She looked so genuine, like she was speaking the truth."
"But we have never met them before this." Jupiter said, confused. "We do not know such names."
"A mystery, that is what they are." Neptune said, scowling. "Anything else, Pluto?"
"She cannot die." He shrugged, troubled. "I tried. We made contact. She just shrugged it off and was confused. She is disgusted by the Shadow Titans but she is happy with the Minotaur's suffering. She does not care for others."
"That makes even less sense." Emily cried. "What has the Minotaur ever done?"
"We do not know." Minerva said gently. "We hope to find out, but Emily, we cannot go easy on the enemies."
"Góissa cried." Pluto recalled grimly. "When I asked her why she would fight for Saturn, she cried as she answered."
Emily blinked in surprise. Were the three truly human? Was it wrong to hope that they were not unreachable monsters?
"She said it was because she would rather die than fight for the Gods. That's all. She left after that." Pluto finished.
Agent B sighed heavily. He looked like he just aged a decade. "A mystery, all of them. I do not think we can get the answer by guessing."
Neptune rubbed his chin. "Prodosia also said some funny things. She said that us Gods would only personally come if it affected us."
"She has a bad impression of us. But what have we ever done to give her such?" Jupiter groaned.
"It does not matter now, Jupiter." Riza said through Emily. "What we need to do is go to Tartarus and find the Hecatonchires."
They all nodded, Pluto looked relieved that the attention was off him.
Jupiter called forward the large war camp and suspended himself high in the air so that his voice could be heard by all the Olympians gathered together. "My people," he shouted, "now is the time to make our move! The Shadow Titans are increasing their numbers on Earth. We will journey back to Delphi and engage the Titans fully. We will show them once and for all that we will not tolerate their assaults on Olympus or Earth. They will experience the power of our new flame-swords. They will feel our strength and determination. It is time for Saturn to stand down. Pack your weapons and prepare for battle. We leave at sunset!"
The crowds roared and cried Jupiter's name.
Emily and Joel looked at each other. "Delphi—isn't that in Greece?" asked Joel.
Agent B was watching the crowd. "Something is very wrong here." He shook his head.
"How do you know?" Joel asked.
"I can feel it," he said darkly. "Maybe Neptune can enlighten us."
Neptune had left the group when Jupiter started his speech and when they found him, he was locked in deep conversation with Chiron.
"Neptune, what's Jupiter talking about?" Emily asked softly. "We need to go to Tartarus, not Delphi."
The two Olympians looked around to be certain no one was within listening distance. "We know, child. But it is not what they need to know. We have been suspicious for some time," Neptune whispered, "but now we are certain. There are Titan spies living among us in this camp. And they need to believe we are leaving for Delphi,"
"How can you be sure?" Agent B asked. "Has anyone been interrogated?"
Chiron shook his head. "No. That would give light to our suspicions. But as a fighter yourself, you must realise we have been left untouched far too long. Emily draws the Titans and their Shadow Titans everywhere she goes. And yet after all this time here, we have not been disturbed once."
Agent B nodded. "I was considering the same thing. Saturn knows of the danger Emily poses to him and his people. He also knows about the flame-swords. He'll be playing for time while they finish the weapon."
"Precisely," Neptune agreed. "So we are all heading to Earth. While most of our fighters engage the Shadow Titans at Delphi, some of us will slip quietly away and head to Tartarus and then Titus. This war will be won with stealth, not open battles."
"Good plan," Agent B agreed. He turned to Emily and Joel. "This is it. One way or another, our fate will be determined tonight."
Emily couldn't help remembering the somberness of Riza's voice when she said Emily would have to confront her past and shivered. That wasn't something she was looking forward to.
Time skip
If not for the impending fate, Emily would be impressed by how fast the camp was struck. Even those who had never fought before had been trained and outfitted with weapons. Only the very young would be exempt from fighting. This was to be the final battle in the war. Its outcome would determine everyone's future.
As the sun set, Vulcan, Stella, and the centaur twins found Emily, Joel, and Agent B. Stella had a large grin on her face. Emily hated how happy she looked.
"Here it is," she said proudly. She leaned over and pointed to a covered box suspended from her seat. "It's the golden box, just as I remembered it. Maxine is going to carry it for us."
Emily and Joel knelt down and pulled the cover from the box. Emily traced her fingers along the imprint of the Big Three. "It's really beautiful." But it gave her chills. Something about it… she could sense the dangerous power it held.
Agent B joined them. "I told you it was a piece of art."
"You were right," Emily agreed, "but I can't wait to bury it in the ground."
"Amen to that!" Joel said.
When they stood, Vulcan handed out several small packages. "I myself do not believe in luck. However, I hope these bring us all the best of it."
Emily opened her gift. Inside was a small silver Pegasus charm on a braided chain. The stallion was in flight and looked as young and powerful as he always had.
"I made these from the ashes of Pegasus," Vulcan explained, "so that he might be with us in this final battle."
Emily was too touched to speak. Joel had always cared a great deal for Vulcan, but she had never known just how quietly thoughtful he really was. She threw her arms around the grimy Olympian and hugged him tightly.
"I'll never take it off!" she cried. "Now we can't lose. Pegasus will protect us!"
Joel also gratefully received his pendant. He helped Emily put hers on before fastening his own.
Emily watched in surprise as Agent B also put on his pendant. When he caught her watching him, he shrugged. "It can't hurt."
Emily raised her hand in the air. "To Team Pegasus!"
The others cheered. "Team Pegasus!" they cried.
"Now, if you are ready to go," Vulcan said, becoming serious, "we have been asked to join Jupiter. He wants us all to stay close together."
"We're ready," Emily said. "Let's finish this."
The Olympians arrived on Earth in the thousands. At Delphi the locals greeted their arrival with relief and gratitude. The Titans had been killing everyone they caught and destroying village after village.
Emily and Joel looked around in wonder. They were halfway up a high mountain, surrounded by other, even taller, tree-covered mountains. Delphi looked nothing like Athens or even Cape Sounio. It was hard to imagine they were even in Greece. It looked more like the mountain ranges in West Virginia or the Carolinas.
"I haven't been here since the accident that crippled me," Stella said. "It looks so different. There are no ruins."
"What ruins?" Seren asked.
Stella pointed to a large marble temple farther down the mountainside. Its tall pillars climbed high into the sky, and it had solid sides and a marble roof. It looked very much like an Olympian building. "The ruins were there."
"How?" Jasmine asked. "This place is new. The humans have only just completed it."
"It's a long story," Stella said, "but one day there will be ruins here."
"What is that temple?" Emily asked.
"I know it as the Temple of Apollo at Delphi," Stella explained. "It is in there that the Oracle sat to foretell the future. It was said she could channel Apollo and speak to all the gods."
"Who is Apollo?" Jasmine asked.
Emily started to explain about Jupiter's son, but Agent B stopped her. "That's enough, Emily. Remember, what you say can affect the future. It's best not to say more."
"Sorry," Emily said to the twins, "he's right. I shouldn't say any more."
A shouted warning came from farther down the mountain. There were thousands of Shadow Titans converging on them. The sky above was filled with the dark-winged Blackbird Shadows, and mixed amongst them were monsters of all shapes and sizes. Some walked, while others crawled, slithered, or flew.
Agent B cursed. "Neptune was right. There were spies in the camp. The Titans have been waiting for us. It's a trap."
"It is." A passing man said to them. Emily nearly screamed at his eyes. Green, hurricane-like, and not what a man in the Ancient times should look like. "I do apologise, but you are quite late to save Delphi. Ceres tried to warn you, you know." His voice changed to be more feminine. "But I got here first, Jupiter."
In front of their eyes, the man started to change, raising his rake and charging at them. This time, Emily did scream.
Jupiter blasted him away. Emily turned away, unwilling to watch charred body hit the ground. "Someone summon Ceres. Now!"
He whirled around to face Emily, no longer looking calm and collected. "Prodosia knew we were coming here. How?"
"I don't know." She practically sobbed. "I don't know, Jupiter. I don't know!"
"Enough, Jupe. You are scaring her." Chiron said. He and Vulcan approached, grim. "She has all the humans under her control. We are getting everything under control but they are almost as stubborn as the Shadow Titans."
"How could she use humans like that?" Emily cried.
"Because I can." Her voice was everywhere and nowhere at the same time. "Come find me, Flame! Let all witness the first yet final battle. I await you! Do not disappoint me."
Jupiter had to translate everything. Vulcan sighed, shaking his head. "She killed Paelen." He informed Emily. "She led the dragons that killed Paelen."
"No." Emily whispered.
Jupiter placed his hands on her shoulders, crouching down to be at eye-level. "Listen to me, Emily. I understand this is a big shock, but you cannot allow Prodosia to break your spirit. She is a monster. Do not allow that fact to stop you."
"I understand. Give me a minute."
They nodded gravely. Emily clenched and unclenched her hands. Prodosia had done this. She had taken away the free will of all the people in Delphi, turning them to those mindless puppets. People who were innocent. She did that. For what? A war not hers to fight in the first place.
"I am here." Ceres's cool voice brought her back to the present. As she appeared in their vision, Emily was disturbed to find a grudging acceptance in her eyes. She was cool and collected, which didn't bode well. "Jupiter, what happened?"
"Did you know?" He rounded on her. "Ceres, did you know what Prodosia did?"
She met his gaze fearlessly. "Yes."
"Why did you not say something?" Emily burst out. "Why did you keep it a secret?"
"She has Vesta, child." Her eyes showed her pain. "Right here. In Delphi. The people chained us. She let me go, but she kept Vesta. To ensure my good behaviour. I would do anything to protect my sister."
Jupiter breathed through his mouth. "Never mind that now. How to save them?"
"Prodosia enchanted them, but she barely did anything. They were monsters, Jupe. Had you seen them, you would have been disgusted. There is no way to free them again. You might as well kill them, there is nothing good in their souls to save." Ceres responded.
Jupiter moved his mouth to a thin line. "You heard her! Attack and do not hold back!" To Ceres, he dried her tears. "I am sorry you had to go through that, sister, but please. Do you know anything else?"
"She awaits you." At this, her eyes flitted to Emily. "She awaits you." She repeats. "But, Flame, she knows you better than you would know her. She knows you better than you know yourself. Her power exceeds yours. Should you act brash, you will lose."
"I know." Emily's voice held. "I know, Ceres."
Jupiter let Ceres go and Emily closed her eyes. "What will you do with her secrecy?"
"Nothing." Neptune joined them. "Ceres protected our sister when she had no other choice. We cannot fault her for that. Listen, Emily, this has been a shock, but we cannot falter now. Are you ready."
She nods tentatively. "Yes. I am."
Joel and Agent B approached with news.
"Everything is set. We are just waiting for our armour to arrive. We have sent several crabs to collect it all. We will leave the moment it gets here."
Higher on the mountain Emily stood shoulder to shoulder with the Big Three. Jupiter was on her right. He looked grim and when she turned back to check on him, he nodded gravely.
On her other side Neptune and Pluto weren't quite as grim as Jupiter, but their seriousness showed as they gathered their powers together to take on the Shadow Titans.
Emily grasped her new Pegasus pendant, brought it to her lips, and kissed it for luck. "For you, Pegs." She would do anything, and she will succeed. They can say Prodosia is more powerful, but Emily would do it. She will.
"Now!" Jupiter shouted.
With the most powerful Olympians at her side, Emily unleashed the Flame and fired great blasts of fire beams into the sky, which instantly vaporised every Shadow Titan they touched.
Beside her, Jupiter shot lightning and thunderbolts at flying snakes, dragons, and Shadow Titans as they swooped down toward them.
Neptune and Pluto directed their powers at the creatures climbing up the sides of the mountain, taking out large groups of monsters with every blast.
Farther below, the battle intensified as Olympian went up against Titan. Giant crabs fought dragons. The Hydra took on a flying snake and made quick work of it. The Furies and Harpies caught hold of Titan monsters and carried them away. Even the smallest satyrs raised their flame-swords against the Shadow Titans.
"Emily, look!" Joel cried.
On the neighbouring mountain the most terrifying monster Emily had ever seen was cresting the top. No creature from any horror movie could compare to the "thing" that was coming for them.
Its overwhelming hugeness made the tall mountain look like a tiny hill. It was shaped like a twisted octopus with at least twenty tentacles, which flashed and flew in the air around it. The creature had an undulating, bulbous body that moved like a half-filled water balloon. Its wet, slimy, mottled brown skin left a trail of smoldering acid behind it. There were no eyes that Emily could see. But the monstrosity had vision, as it tore up huge trees and tossed them at the gathered Olympians.
"What is that?" Agent B cried.
Jupiter turned and sucked in his breath. "It is the Copac-ra!"
"No, you must be wrong," Neptune argued. "It is locked deep in Tartarus. Not even the Titans will approach it."
"Nothing said about the Commanders," Pluto said.
"How could Father get it here?" Jupiter asked. "No one can command the Copac-ra."
"It doesn't look like anyone is," Emily cried. Above them the Copac-ra caught a flying Shadow Titan and pulled it to its moving body. A hole opened, and the Shadow Titan disappeared into a grotesque mouth. Another tentacle snatched up a screaming human fighter, who suffered the same fate.
"It's eating everyone it catches," Joel cried. "It doesn't matter what side they're on."
Emily raised her hands in the air and prepared to fire at the monster.
No, Emily, you must not! Riza cried. The Copac-ra is the last of its kind. It must be protected. In the future it will live peacefully on Xanadu.
"That's the future!" Emily cried. "Right now that thing is about to eat all of us."
Use your powers, child, Riza called. Send it to Xanadu. Set it free.
"How?" Emily said.
Trust me, Riza said softly. You know what to do. Just focus on sending it to Xanadu. I will do the rest.
Lifting her hands again, Emily summoned all her powers. "Xanadu," she called. "Go to Xanadu!"
Emily felt Riza working with her and guiding her powers to send the Copac-ra to Xanadu. The air around the monster sparkled, and the creature vanished.
"Father is sending everything at us," Jupiter cried. He looked around at the monsters and Shadow Titans swarming the mountains around them. The Olympians were badly outnumbered, especially with the humans fighting. "This war will not be easily won."
"We need the Hundred-handers," Chiron called. "Keep the Shadow Titans occupied while we collect the last of our armour."
Emily and the Big Three focused their efforts on stopping as many Shadow Titans as possible, while lower down the mountain the Olympians engaged others in hand-to-hand combat. The glow of flame-swords rose from the mountainside as they used their weapons against the Shadow Titans.
As the long day progressed, Emily feared they would never beat the relentless Shadow Titans. They never tired, but the Olympians and humans did. Despite their best efforts, on sheer numbers alone the Shadow Titans were gaining ground against them.
Chiron appeared behind Jupiter, wearing part of a Dragon Shadow's armor. If the situation had been less desperate, Emily would have laughed. The front half of the centaur looked just like a Dragon Shadow Titan. But when he turned, his back end was still that of a chestnut horse.
Behind him Joel was dressed as a Minotaur Shadow. His whole body was covered in armor with only his head exposed. He held a Minotaur helmet in his hand.
Agent B was shockingly convincing as a Blackbird Shadow. The wings of the warrior hung limp at the back, but he had learned to mimic their walk. Minerva and Venus were also suited up and looked frighteningly like the Turtle Shadows.
Venus was lightly binding Seren and Jasmine's hands to give credibility to their presence on Tartarus. The plan was to deliver the twin centaurs and Stella to the prison as 'prisoners.'
"We have your armour ready," Chiron told the Big Three.
Emily continued to fire her powers at the masses of Shadow Titans. As she stopped to take a breath, she turned to Chiron. "How did you get the armour?"
"Each suit is made up of several Shadow Titans destroyed by the flame-swords," Chiron explained. "Joel has chosen a Turtle Shadow for you."
The Big Three took over from Emily as she put on the Turtle armour. Before Minerva secured her breastplate into position, Agent B pulled Emily aside. In his armour-covered hand was a small leather-bound book.
"Would you hold this for me?" he asked, handing her the book. "Put it with your own journal. I've been keeping one too. If anything should happen to me—"
"Nothing is going to happen to you," Emily insisted, feeling very uncomfortable at the turn in conversation.
"I hope not," he continued, "but if anything should, I want you to have this. Then if you succeed in destroying that weapon and hitting the reset button, I'm asking you, as a friend, to find me in London—my address is in the front of the book. Find me and please, get me away from the CRU."
He tilted his head to the side and smiled. "You know me now. You know I'll fight you. Get me to Olympus or Xanadu, it doesn't matter which. Show me this journal. Force me to read it"—he grinned again—"as only you can. I have written secret messages to myself that only I would understand. I have warned myself to leave the CRU."
"Why are you doing this?" Emily asked.
"Really, you don't know?" he asked incredulously. "After all this time here, I have come to care a great deal about you, Joel, and all these crazy Olympians. I can't be part of any agency that seeks to destroy them and exploit you. Once the other me reads this journal, I'm hoping he will help you bring down the CRU. I know things, Emily. Things that can expose the Central Research Unit for what it really is."
Emily could see the sincerity in his intense blue eyes. She accepted the journal and slipped it in her tunic pocket beside her own. "I promise," she said finally. "Whatever happens, I will find you and make you read this."
"Thank you," Agent B said. He pulled on the Blackbird helmet. "Emily, I know you know about the final fight. Against you and Prodosia. I won't say that she is more powerful or something, but I want to warn you."
"I know. She will probably win."
"She has the experience you do not, and has the cruelty of someone willing to do whatever it takes. Emily, she will not stop."
"I know." She said again. "But what can I do? She is willing to kill off an entire city of people."
"Was she? Or was she someone who knew we would not want to harm the people? Prodosia wants to win, and she is using her brain. Have you seen any mother or child during our time in Delphi, Emily? No."
"So it is okay to use men?"
At this, Agent B grimaces. "She knows, Emily, about the deeds men does in this time. None of which are pretty. I know that does not speak of her actions, but she has a heart, Emily. You must appeal to that, you understand me?"
"I do." She does.
He smiles. "Good. Now finish getting suited up. We leave the moment you're ready."
Once they were all in the leather armour of the Shadow Titans, Emily and the Big Three combined their powers together. They all held hands and gathered close as Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto closed their eyes.
"Tartarus!" they shouted.
