By the time they reached the house, it was well past sunset. A mere hour's drive had taken them almost two, and Vivienne's legs were starting to feel cramped. Reyna had ditched the car a few streets away, making them walk to the house. Supposedly, this was to help them evade any cameras, but she wasn't too reassured about that.
The house, if you could call it that, was absolutely massive. It towered way above her, a sprawling mansion that seemed to stretch on for an eternity. The front garden was an absolute masterpiece of landscaping, a lush tapestry of carefully tended flora that surrounded the house. Vibrant blooms of every colour framed the entranceway, and a meticulously crafted fountain took centre stage, its waters sparkling in the soft glow of the outdoor lights. The house itself was even more grand, a blend of classical and modern styles. It stood tall and spacious, with multiple stories and elegant balconies that overlooked the garden. The windows were large and ornate, and each seemed to glow with a warm, welcoming light. Vivienne couldn't help but wonder how Thalia knew someone rich enough to own this. There was the chance that Thalia was a multi billionaire, although why would she be with the hunt then?
"You'll understand when we get inside," Thalia explained, as if she could read her mind. The hunters took the lead, walking towards the grand door, and ringing the bell. Vivienne stayed behind, along with Reyna who was subbing her back.
"Everything alright?" Vivienne asked. At first, Reyna didn't realise Vivienne was talking to her. "Reyna?"
"Sorry?" she asked, quickly putting her hand back to her side.
"I asked if everything's okay?" Vivienne repeated with a small smile. "You're rubbing your back like you hurt it." Reyna waved it away.
"It's nothing," she replied. "Manual's suck, that's it. Constantly pressing that clutch down, and up, and down, and up, and down, and up, and down, and- oh look, she's finally opened the door." Reyna jogged up to the hunters, greeting a cinnamon-haired person. The four of them, plus the new person seemed to be talking, before Atalanta pointed at Vivienne and gestured for her to come
Nervous, she slowly approached, and her eyes landed on Reyna, who had struck up a conversation with the girl. Vivienne couldn't help but stude her features, finding something familiar, yet elusive about her. Her rich, cinnamon-brown hair cascaded in loose waves around her shoulders, adding to her warmth. She was dark-skinned, and had a tattoo on her arm.
"You must be Vivienne!" she said in a cheery voice, pulling her into a gentle hug. It was unexpected to say the least, but Vivienne couldn't help but return it.
"Quickly, come inside," the person said, ushering them inside her mansion and closing the massive door. "Come, I'm sure you're all famished by now."
"Tell me about it," Reyna muttered. "Where's-"
"He's in the living room," the woman said. "I'm sure he's excited to see you too." Reyna nodded, heading straight into the first door on their left.
"Well, after you," the person giggled, gesturing towards the door. Vivienne nodded quickly, before steppin into the room and letting out a massive, 'whoa!'
The living room was nothing short of spectacular. It exuded an air of refinement and comfort, with plush sofas and elegant décor that blended classic and modern styles seamlessly. Large windows allowed natural light to flood the room, and the view of the garden outside was breathtaking. However, her attention was soon captured by a tall, broad-shouldered young man who had an unmistakable air of military discipline about him. He was dressed in jeans and a plain, red T-shirt.
"Reyna!" he exclaimed with genuine excitement, rising from his seat to greet her with a warm hug. Reyna grinned upon seeing him. Thalia, Phoebe, and Atalanta were already seated on the plush sofas.
"So good to see you!" Reyna said after breaking up the hug.
"Likewise!" the man smiled. "Hazel, could you get us all some drinks and food?" He turned to Thalia, giving her a wink. "I hope you all love burgers." Everyone nodded eagerly, and he chuckled. Then, the man's gaze locked onto Vivienne, as if he were studying her.
All of a sudden it clicked, and she gasped in recognition.
"You… You're the god of metamorphosis!" Vivienne exclaimed, her eyes wide with astonishment. He only raised an eyebrow. He gestured for her to sit down on one of the sofas opposite him.
"Former praetor," he muttered, "giant's bane, one of the seven, Frank Zhang—these are how I'm used to being called. Very few call me the god of metamorphosis. So, seeing as you know who I am, why don't you tell us who you are?"
"I… I-I'm Vivienne," she stammered. Frank motioned for her to continue.
"Vivienne…."
"Oh, Vivienne Monroe." Frank nodded his head.
"Monroe… A beautiful place might I say, but anyway, how did you know who I am?"
"A dream," she replied. "The one where you were all getting your domains." He nodded, as if he'd been expecting that.
"We were all so excited that day," he sighed. "When the second Giant war ended, Poseidon came to Percy asking him what he wanted. Of course Percy had some noble response up his sleeve, but anyway, Poseidon convinced Percy to accept godhood if he could give Annabeth, his girlfriend at the time, godhood as well. The day came, and the gods were ready to give them immortality, but of course, Percy being Percy had other ideas." Reyna chuckled.
"That's Percy for you," she smirked.
"Too, true," Frank agreed. "He wanted godhood for all the seven, saying they'd sacrificed just as much as he had. At first, Zeus denied it, but surprisingly, it was Aphrodite who came to his rescue."
"Not Artemis?" Vivienne frowned. Frank shook his head.
"No, she and Percy barely spoke for a long time. They weren't in a relationship for another thirty or so years after the Giant war. Artemis believed in taking the relationship slow, once she even found out she liked him. The issue was Percy's definition of slow was moving backwards. Now, what was I saying…?"
"Aphrodite saving him," Vivienne pointed out. He snapped his fingers.
"Ah, yes. Aphrodite told the gods that while they'd been isolating themselves from the mortals, the war had only gotten worse. She said her daughter fought valiantly with the other seven, risking her life many times just so that Gaia wouldn't rise and destroy everything. If that didn't deserve immortality, she didn't know what did. Then, the other gods joined in, one by one. Of course, Ares was right after, but then Poseidon agreed, Demeter agreed, Apollo agreed, Artemis agreed, and even Athena and Hera agreed, though she was salty about it. Percy was told to tell everyone to come to Olympus the following week if they wanted godhood. Around that time, we also figured out Leo wasn't dead, and he came back to Camp with Calypso."
"If I recall correctly, some beatings and awkward conversations took place," Thalia mused.
"Awkward is putting it nicely," Reyna smirked. "Percy couldn't even look Calypso in the eyes for three days, and Leo was hiding from us for at least a good month, if not more."
"Isn't that a bit harsh?" Vivienne asked. Frank shrugged.
"It was Leo," he grinned. "And he deserved it for sure."
Soon, the cinnamon haired girl, Hazel, returned with a tray holding delicacies Vivienne had almost forgotten about. Cookies, chocolates, and other sweet desserts adorned the edge of the tray. In the middle was some iced tea, as well as coke, pepsi, fanta, and more. Without waiting for Hazel to put the tray down, Thalia grabbed a handful of biscuits, stuffing them into her mouth.
"Manners, Thalia," Hazel scolded, but her tone was light and playful. Thalia merely rolled her eyes, winking at Phoebe. As soon as the tray was down, it was almost a scramble. Everyone aside from her, Frank included, dashed to get some desserts.
"Oh my!" Atalanta remarked, her mouth full of food. "These are just…Mmm so good!" Hazel blushed lightly.
"Thank you," she smiled.
"Are you surprised?" Frank asked. "I mean, we all know Hazel cooks the best." if anything she blushed harder.
"Alright, calm down," Reyna groaned. "I don't want you two love birds to start making out right now." Now it was Frank's turn to blush a deep shade of scarlet. "Speaking of which," Reyna continued, a teasing smile growing. "Tell me, how's the anniversary going?"
"Anniversary?" Vivienne suddenly blurted out. "You're married?" Hazel showed Vivienne her ring, a beautiful, night-black design with a fox… or maybe it was a dragon.
"The happiest couple in Olympus, according to Aphrodite's latest survey," Frank grinned. "Been married nearly five hundred years, and it just keeps getting better!" Vivienne frowned. There it was, that number.
"You married after Percy left?" she asked. The warmth from Hazel's eyes died a little, and even Frank seemed a bit down.
"Well," he sighed, "that was half the point."
"To marry after Percy left? How bad of a wingman was he…?"
"No, no, Percy was the best," Frank corrected. "Funny, smart-"
"Debatable," Thalia muttered under her breath.
"-Kind and caring. And when he was with Artemis, the two were…"
"Inseparable," Atalanta finished. "They were head over heels for each other."
"They loved each other more than anyone I know," Hazel sighed. "It was the reason we thought Percy would surely come back to her, but he never did." She let that sink in.
"I guess it was a sign, if anything," Frank muttered. "That even the closest couples can break up in the most abrupt ways."
"Well, they didn't break up," Hazel corrected. "But after Percy lo-"
"That's a story for another day," Thalia said, mouthing, 'later,' to Hazel. Vivienne hated this secret, but what could she really do about it?
Hazel picked up the tray, ignoring Thalia's whine, and took it to Vivienne, offering her.
"I'm fine," she said.
"Oh my days, Vivienne," Phoebe groaned. "Stop being so shy and just take one. Unless you're somehow not hungry?" Sighing, she took a biscuit, uttering a quick thanks, and bit into it. Truth be told, it was a nice biscuit. The inside was still warm and chocolatey, as if they'd come straight from the oven. She took another, causing Phoebe to grin.
"Now that's more like it!" Hazel placed the tray back down.
"I'm gonna check up on the burgers, you guys all settle in."
"Sounds good," Thalia sighed, stretching her legs. "Being in a car all day definitely doesn't help your legs."
"I can tell," Frank chuckled, his gaze shifting between the members of the group as a moment of comfortable silence fell over the room.
After a pause, Frank broke the quietude with a question that had been on his mind for a while.
"How's the quest going?" he asked. Thalia let out a long sigh.
"Are you planning on telling Artemis about this?" she asked cautiously. Frank snorted, shaking his head.
"That'd be… Unhelpful to say the least." Thalia leaned back in her seat, her expression a mix of frustration and concern.
"To answer your question, we've been on the road for a while now, Frank, and we still don't know where we're going. The prophecy is so vague, and apparently, only Vivienne can figure it out, except she can't. How's that for a quest to find someone who's unfindable?" Frank's eyes narrowed as he considered their quest.
"Percy's not unfindable," he said slowly. "He's just difficult to find."
"Difficult to find!" Phoebe exclaimed. "You spent seven years looking for him, I spent twenty, and I don't even want to guess how long Artemis has spent. No one can find him. He wasn't in California. He wasn't in Alaska. He definitely wasn't in Florida. We've checked the entire world for him. If the country exists, we've checked it, and he's not there. If that doesn't mean he's unfindable, then I don't know what is."
"Does that mean you've lost faith?" he asked. "Because if you have-"
"No, of course we haven't," she sighed. "It's just frustrating, to keep running into dead ends wherever you turn." She slumped back onto the sofa, closing her eyes.
"What's the prophecy?" Frank asked.
"Ask Vivienne," Phoebe muttered. "Something to do with keys, hearts, and some other stuff." Frank turned, regarding her. She felt nervous under his gaze, and it seems like Thalia noticed that.
"Stop staring so hard," she chuckled. "You're gonna freak the poor girl back to Camp at this rate." He sighed, offering her a sheepish smile.
"Prophecy, then, Vivienne?" She nodded.
"Well, it goes like this: You, along the silver arrows, glistening bright,
Run south together from the ménage fight.
You are the key, and you have the key, and the key is in the key,
For the soul adrift, it's heart's lament decree." Frank was silent for a moment, as if he was absorbing the words. Vivienne didn't blame him. The prophecy confused her more than she wanted to admit.
"Thalia," Frank frowned, staring her deep in the eye. "Xérei ti égine?"
"Ókhi," she muttered. "Allá mēn tēs to peis." Vivienne watched the exchange between Thalia and Frank, her curiosity piqued. Their conversation in a language she didn't understand left her feeling like an outsider.
"What are you guys saying?" she asked. "Is this about the prophecy? What language is that?" Thalia and Frank exchanged a meaningful glance but remained tight-lipped, refusing to provide any explanation. Again, it was back to that whole idea of secret, as if she wasn't important enough to know this stuff. Just as the tension in the room began to grow, Hazel entered with a tray of burgers, her cheerful demeanour breaking the silence.
"Dinner is served! And I hope you guys are hungry, because there's plenty more where this came from!" Frank's gaze lingered on Thalia for a moment longer before he finally relented.
"Let's eat."
It was two in the morning, but he couldn't sleep. Percy lay in his cosy bed, staring up at the wooden ceiling of his cabin-house. The gentle crackling of the fire in the hearth filled the room, casting a warm, flickering shadow on the walls. The night outside was calm, and there was no hint of coldness in the air, yet sleep evaded him. For hours, he had tossed and turned, unable to relax. As he'd learned over the years, the silence of the island was a curse, and tonight he was feeling it. It was almost as bad as the loneliness… Almost…
Surrendering to his insomnia, Percy slipped out of bed, careful not to wake his sister next door. He put on a pair of slippers, before walking out into the humid night. With a soft, resigned sigh, he decided to take a walk outside, hoping that the gentle breeze and the churning of waves would bring him some measure of peace. Whenever he'd have trouble sleeping, the sea could sometimes help ease his mind. It defined him. The sea was part of him, just as much as it was a part of his father. The difference was Percy was stuck on this island. For centuries, he's lived in solitude, because of his own actions. The world had moved on without him, and he had watched from the shadows, unable to intervene, to protect, or to be a part of it. He sighed, collapsing onto the soft sand. The moonlight bathed him in its soft, silvery glow…
… He was undeserving of such beauty.
Percy's thoughts turned to Vivienne and the quest. Of course he'd told them not to come looking for him, and he may or may not have let his anger take over, but knowing the hunt, they'd still be pushing forwards. Then again, he'd told Vivienne that Thalia was keeping the truth about a war from her, so maybe that'd be enough to start some conflict and hopefully get them to turn back. The Camp would need all its resources for Apollo's latest great prophecy. Surprisingly, this one had taken a very long time to come true. Over six hundred years, if his memory served him correctly. Percy still remembered the day they found the prophecy out. It had been him, Apollo, Hermes and Jason crowded in Rachel's tiny cave. They'd started with Mario Kart Deluxe tournaments (Percy obviously won) before finally getting down to business. Jason had snorted when he'd first heard the prophecy, because of how ridiculous it had sounded.
Jason. Someone else Percy had abandoned. They'd been such close friends, running the camp together, until Percy was forced to leave. As he continued to dwell on his memories, a bitterness welled up within him, like a slow-burning fire. He thought about the domains he had been granted, domains he had never asked for, and ones that seemed to haunt him at every turn. His life, it seemed, had been doomed from the very start, the strings of fate pulling him in directions he had never wished to go. The memories of his friends, the laughter, the camaraderie, and the sense of purpose—all of it felt like a distant dream. He longed to return to his other life, the one he had been forced to leave behind. Percy's anger grew, a storm of emotions swirling within him. It was an anger born of helplessness, of feeling trapped in a life that wasn't of his choosing.
Unable to contain his rage any longer, Percy's hand shot out to the nearest object within his reach, an ornate spear. With a primal scream of frustration, he hurled the spear into the endless ocean.
"Selfish Fate!" he bellowed, the words echoing in the night. "You made me this! Are you happy now?" He watched the spear sail far into the horizon before eventually plunging into the sea. Percy stood there, alone on the deserted island, the waves lapping at the shore, and the moonlight casting eerie shadows. He took deep, shuddering breaths, trying to calm the tempest that raged within him.
"Can't sleep?" a voice asked from behind him. Percy whirled around, a little surprised to see his sister looking at him with empathy, something rare for her. Sighing, he sat back down onto the beach and turned his gaze to the sea. Wordlessly, his sister joined him, plopping onto the soft sand. They both sat side by side, their eyes fixed on the distant horizon. The quiet of the night surrounded them, broken only by the gentle lapping of the waves against the shore.
"Percy," his sister began tentatively, but he cut her off sharply.
"Before you say it, I don't need your pity," he said bitterly. "I don't understand, you've never been one to show any compassion or empathy. Why do I get the special treatment? Why can't you treat me how you treat everyone else."
"Because you're not like everyone else!" she said, raising her voice in frustration. "I try to be nice to you, because you need it. You need help, brother, and I mean that in the nicest way possible, but this stupid isolation you're doing is driving your head in. You're just too naïve to see it. Ruthless me isn't gonna help-"
"I prefer the ruthless version of you," he interrupted. "The one who won't stop for anyone or anything, and won't care who's feelings she hurts."
"The version like you?" she cut in, her voice cool and measured.
Percy glared at her in frustration.
"That's not what I meant, and you know it." A heavy, tense silence hung in the air for a moment before Percy's sister began to chuckle softly. He shot her a bewildered look, raising his eyebrow.
"It's funny, Percy," she smirked, her eyes glinting with a mischievous glimmer, "how you want me to be ruthless, yet you complain and give me dirty looks when I'm blunt with you." Percy's glare deepened.
"That's because you're not being honest," he retorted. "I am nothing like you." His sister paused for a moment, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon.
"Do you remember the day I first came to this island?" she asked quietly. "I came from just there," she added, pointing to something on the horizon. Percy nodded.
"Of course, I do. But why are you bringing it up?"
She turned to him, her expression no longer sympathetic but instead taking on a sadistic and almost malevolent tone.
"Because of what I said when I first spoke to you," she said with a chilling smile.
Percy walked along the desolate coast of his island, his gaze fixed on the vast expanse of the sea. The rhythmic crashing of the waves against the shore was a constant companion, a familiar sound that had kept him company for almost a century now. The thought saddened him as he realised it meant he hasn't seen any of his fellow friends or Olympians in almost a century.
As he watched the horizon, a small rowing boat appeared, a distant speck on the vast canvas of the ocean. To him, this wasn't something new. Plenty of fishermen come close to his island in search of a plentiful catch (what can he say, the fish just liked him), but they knew his island was off limits to everyone. That and the mist which made it look like a wasteland. At first, he assumed this boat was just another fisherman. However, it felt different. The boat continued to draw nearer, defying the usual fishing routes. Its trajectory seemed to be deliberately directed towards him, and Percy couldn't help but feel a growing sense of unease as it approached. The issue was less that his island was getting visitors, and more that the visitors are most likely to be gods. His heart sank as the idea came that the gods might've found him. Maybe his idea of isolation was futile after all. Perhaps it was just impossible, as Hecate had said.
If it was a mortal, they'd just have a very long and unpleasant conversation. However, if the Olympians had come, it was a different story, and he wasn't taking chances. Heart pounding, Percy turned and sprinted back to his small house, the adrenaline surging through him. He hurriedly grabbed a rusty spear, the first weapon he saw, and charged back out onto the beach. The anticipation gnawed at him as he positioned himself behind a gnarled tree, hidden in the shadows, his grip on the spear tight.
He could hear the sound of the boat washing up against the shore, followed by the distinct clambering of someone stepping onto the island. Every footstep echoed in his ears, the air filled with tension. They were getting closer. Finally, they passed by the tree, and in that moment, Percy's yell erupted from him, the spear pointed directly at the intruder. They spun around to face him, and he got his first good look at them.
The person standing before him was a woman, her presence exuding an aura of confidence and mystery. She had dark, unruly hair which tumbled down way past her shoulders. Her eyes were sharp, cold and calculating, as if she already knew exactly how to take him down in a battle. She had simple clothing, just a low, V-cut dress that barely made it down to her knees. The fabric was dyed in a deep, iridescent shade of violet, with patterns he couldn't make out. But the one thing that stuck out most to him was her smile, a wicked, almost sinister one that made her look like a sadist.
Percy's chest heaved, his breaths ragged, as he took in the sight of this stranger who had dared to venture onto his island. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something about her, something strange, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He pressed the rusty spear against the stranger's throat, his voice firm and demanding.
"You have to leave now. You're not supposed to be here." The stranger simply smiled, her expression unfazed.
"But I just got here," she replied casually, her voice carrying a hint of playfulness. "I was hoping to enjoy some time playing in the sand and perhaps go sightseeing for a bit." Percy's frustration boiled over, and he pushed the spear a little harder, his patience wearing thin.
"Very well," he glared. "Seeing as we both know you're not mortal, tell me who your parents are," She chuckled, shaking her head.
"My, you're quite the dramatic host, aren't you?" With a playful glint in her eye, she relented. "Well fine, if you must know, my parents are Sally Jackson and Poseidon." Percy's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Lies!" he retorted, his voice trembling with anger. "Tell me the truth, now!"
She didn't tell him the truth. That'd be too easy. Instead, she fixed him with a penetrating gaze, and Percy felt himself unable to look away. Her eyes were like swirling black holes, drawing him in and leaving him powerless to resist. She spoke, her tone low and hypnotic.
"You know, I've been wanting to meet you for a while," she admitted, "but they never told me where you were. Or maybe they just didn't want us to meet. Leave it to me to do everything by myself."
Percy couldn't help but ask the question that weighed on his mind.
"Why do you want to see me?" he glared. She held his gaze for a moment longer before suddenly slipping out from under the spear's point. Percy was momentarily stunned, his weapon lowered. She took a step back and then grinned with an unsettling air of mischief.
"Because, dear brother," she said with a wicked glint in her eye, "I'm your evil twin sister."
Percy's glare deepened as he shook his head in disbelief and slight irritation.
"I have no sisters left from my mother's side," he stated firmly, his voice resolute. "And you're no daughter of Poseidon. I would sense it if you were." She chuckled, seemingly amused by his frustration.
"You've misunderstood me," she replied with a sly grin. "We're not twins because of our blood, oh no. Our parents have never met, and I doubt they will for a while. We are twins because our hearts share the same… interests. Deep down, we are very similar people. The only difference is that I embrace who I am, while you… You hate yourself for it." Percy slowly lowered the spear, now curious. He asked her again, "Who are you?" She giggled playfully.
"I told you, I'm your twin sister." Percy's patience wore thin.
"I want a name," he demanded. "Who are you?"
With a mischievous glint in her eyes, the woman finally relented, offering a small, playful curtsy.
"The mother of all strife, Eris here, at your service… brother."
And finally, there we have it. Was anyone expecting that? Also, please do leave a review if you enjoyed, it really does help me :)