Summary: Perseus, first-born child of Poseidon and Amphitrite, God of the Stars and Constellations, of Navigation and of the Astral Plane. Patron of Heroes and Mentor to the Goddess Artemis. Sitting upon the ruling council of the Gods for thousands of years – and now facing the end of Olympus.
Before we get into the new chapter I wanted to take a little time to answer some reviews. I won't do this very often, as after a while I think people get tired of it and just glance past it anyway. However since this story is so new, I would like to clarify a few things and this is the only way to reasonably do that.
First, from a review regarding the curse of Lamia spoken of in Chapter 5. This is a canon event, according to The Demigod Diaries – The Son of Magic. Lamia is an actual creature from Greek mythology, and is in Rick's universe as a monster that was once a daughter of Hecate. She supposedly placed the curse after being transformed, though I changed that timeline a little. While I think it may be a ret-con as Rick's son is said to have written that short story, I still included it. I probably could've played with it a little bit creatively to make it more believable, but technically I didn't make it up. I did, however, play around with her abilities and appearance.
Next from a few sources regarding the whole Consort thing – this, I will admit, it something of a mistake, though not one I'd really thought about. I suppose I should've named him 'Companion' or something, though I'm not sure it would have mattered. I really only included it as their relationship will be explored later in the story. The entire truth is that I originally wrote the outline and summary for this story about a year ago, and originally intended for there to be a romantic relationship. I changed my mind when I actually began writing it out, and I think I should've adjusted a little more to make that more clear to a reader. I apologize for any confusion, that's 100 percent my bad. I still find mistakes like that in my work and cringe at how obvious they can be to an outside observer. It will be changed moving forward.
There was also one review that asked about Jason – at the moment we are only seeing the Greek side of the divine world. A glimpse of Rome will likely come soon, but it isn't the main focus right now and probably won't be until I finish this. Rome will be explored more fully if I get around to a 'Part 2'. As of now, I have this story planned to encompass the original 5 books up to TLO. Part 2, if I write it, will be similar in scope to the HoO series. I already have a plan for how the ending of this story would lead into the next, but I will have to see how this goes as it will be a good long while before I finish this one.
I really appreciate that most reviewers seem to like the story so far, and I hope to continue to meet expectations. I'm not really convinced that my writing is very good to be perfectly honest, and I still find tons of tiny mistakes, but I enjoy doing it and I appreciate others who do as well.
So, sincerely, thank you all for the feedback and generally positive words.
In light of the fact that everyone seemed to enjoy the Interlude for the most part I believe, I've decided to switch my format just a little and continue the quest in this chapter. While I know I originally meant for the Interlude to be a single chapter, I'm still making a few changes as I go with this. The Plot is all but finished, including an ending that I'm very firm on, but the actual layout of the story is still a work in progress. That said, please enjoy.
Chapter Six
Interlude Part Three: Atlanta
The border of Nevada flew past them without much acknowledgment, other than the vague sense that they were approaching the main objective of their quest very quickly. Atlanta knew they were all getting sick of the van, sick of the rattles and squeaks and the constant hum of the engine that seemed to vibrate their skulls. The van didn't have a working radio and the exhaust was louder than the sleek new cars they were more familiar with. They were also not well-rested, as the moving vehicle was uncomfortable to sleep in while hitting bumps and potholes.
They'd been on the road almost non-stop for over twenty hours since they left the graveyard back in Missouri, and a weight had seemed to press on the group the longer they traveled. Their two week deadline would be reduced by more than a day by the time they got to Vegas, assuming no trouble, and they weren't even sure where the Lotus Eaters were in the city. Atlanta had a general idea that their lair was on the southern side of the Vegas, southwest of Harry Reid International Airport, but there was some shroud over it that muddled her sense of direction. It was unnatural and magical in nature, no doubt.
The main issue, Atlanta knew, was the lair of the monsters itself. Time moved differently within, and it wasn't uncommon for those who managed to escape to exit into a completely new decade. There was no sense of time passing while inside, and you wouldn't know how long you'd been within until you actually left. Her greatest fear was to exit the lair into a world at war with itself – a war between the Underworld and the Heavens with the earth in between.
Or worse – to a world where the war was already over and her father defeated.
She didn't know what she'd do in that circumstance, and she didn't want to find out. They had to be successful. There was, in her mind, no other option. Her two companions, she knew, likely didn't fully understand the gravity of the situation. When they heard 'war', they likely thought it meant Perseus and Hades slugging it out in a one-on-one match somewhere deep in the middle of nowhere. Atlanta knew better. A war was never just two people, even Gods.
At Hades command the dead would walk the earth again, consuming all in their path and growing into a legion of soldiers that could no longer be killed. Thanatos would be at Hades side, as would the rest of his unholy court of immortals. Darkness would spread like ink spilled onto paper, and the cold hands of death itself would grip the world.
In response Perseus would wake the Guardians – all of them – and light and heat would descend from the heavens in a biblical show of his towering wrath. His subjects were undying as well, for they were spirits who had fallen once already. They were massive and monstrous and would burn all the world at Perseus' command. Alongside him would march the twins, Artemis and Apollo
And then...Hades and Perseus would take the field themselves, and cities – perhaps entire states – would fall to ruin beneath their might. It wouldn't matter who was stronger at that point, for nothing in the mortal world near them would survive their clash. It wouldn't matter that one or the other might actually win, because everyone else would lose.
At some point Zeus would have to get involved, likely Poseidon as well, and then…
Atlanta shook her head. She didn't want to think about it. While it was true that she sometimes wished the Gods would reveal themselves to the mortals and regain control of the world more directly, this was never how she imagined it would happen and she certainly never thought she would have a direct hand in it. They needed to succeed for the good of the entire world.
That was the weight she felt, and it seemed enormous enough to crush her.
She no longer intended to follow anyone else's lead on this quest, or even pretend to do so. Atlanta had taken charge fully, and if the other two refused to follow then she'd complete this mission alone. They hadn't argued when she gave orders, and it was just as well because she wouldn't humor it any longer if they had. Honor and glory meant nothing in the face of complete and true destruction. Success was the only thing that mattered.
To that end, they had no time to waste in searching for the lair of the Lotus Eaters. If it was well hidden it could take days to find in a city the size of Vegas where everything was meant to draw the eye. She needed exact coordinates, and she needed them before she got to the city. The only problem was that to get them would involve calling on another God, one who was perhaps even better than her father at finding his way. She would need the aid of Hermes, the Traveler, to find that which was hidden to her sight. He was the only one who could navigate the unseen roads.
And yet she was hesitant, for the last time she'd arbitrarily called upon a God had very nearly spelled their end. When her father had stood there face to face with Hades, for the very first time in her life she felt as if she'd actually failed him. Because of her thoughtlessness, she'd placed herself in danger and her father was forced into a difficult position against one of the only Gods known to be more powerful than himself.
Perseus would never see it, even if she told him. He would never for a moment believe her to be at fault for the confrontation, even if she knew that it was entirely her mistake. She should have known, with the words given by the Oracle, that Hades was not to be trifled with or even spoken to. She hadn't known about her father's issues with him, but she should've inferred from the prophecy that it would be a bad idea. Instead, her overconfidence in her own methods for leading the quest had lead them into a dangerous confrontation between the Gods and had quite possibly started a war. In her own mind, Atlanta was far to old to make such a stupid and naive mistake.
Still, she felt reasonably sure that Hermes was a safe one to contact. He was friendly to all travelers, which they currently were, and could be relied upon by any who used the roads. He was also, to her knowledge, a good friend of her father's. He would be very unlikely to turn against him in favor of Hades. Their domains crossed over with travel and navigation, and they'd always worked peacefully together so far as she knew.
Atlanta knew that she should probably run it by the other two first, but in her mind it didn't really matter anyway. She was going to see this quest through to the best of her ability, even if it meant stepping on their toes.
Having made her decision, Atlanta glanced into the front of the van to see Beckendorf driving while Clarisse slumped sideways in the passenger seat. They were preoccupied, and so she quickly dug into her pack and pulled out two of the drachma that they'd never gotten around to trading Hades. She also found a receipt from one of their purchases, and an ink-pen they'd used to plan out their route when she was sleeping and couldn't help navigate.
'Need some travel advice.' she scrawled hastily on the back of the slip of paper. She then folded it around the two drachma and clenched it into her hands, silently calling on the Messenger of the Gods.
There was a twitch in her palms as the paper and money both vanished, and she suddenly felt the stiff edges of a card between her hands. She opened them to reveal a flashy red and gold business card that read:
Lotus Hotel and Casino
6915 S Durango Dr.
Las Vegas, NV
'Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.'
She very nearly snorted in disbelief at their slogan, but sent a silent and heartfelt 'thank-you' to Hermes. She swore that at the first opportunity she would make an offering in his name to befit his invaluable aid. Something grand and worthy, to be certain, assuming she survived to do so.
They'd restocked after her father had given them the mortal money, but nothing they'd bought was worthy of his aid and they couldn't afford to part with any of it anyway at the moment. They'd grabbed some more blankets and a few cushions. They also attempted to stock up on some supplies that they could find at truck stops and convenience stores along the way. Clean bandages and antiseptics, non-perishable food and a few cases of bottled water. They weren't sure what shape they'd be in by the end of the journey especially once they added two more demigods to their group that could not come to harm under any circumstances.
They needed to get them first, however and that would require a plan of action.
"We need to discuss exactly how we're going to handle this situation since we'll be there in a few hours," she said, gaining the attention of the other two. "Logistically things will change once we add two more children to our group, both of them untrained and with no knowledge of the divine world or it's rules."
"That's assuming we can even get them to come with us willingly," answered Beckendorf. "These kids don't know us, they don't know their father or what's at stake. They aren't likely to just agree to travel to New York with a group of strangers."
"They'll be coming with us, period," said Clarisse with her usual gruffness. "They don't have to like it, hell we don't even like it, but you can bet their asses will be in this van one way or the other. There is space for a wheelchair or two, after all."
Atlanta laughed quietly, used to her blunt way of speaking at this point. "There likely will be no need for force. By the time we find them there will be a total of five powerful demigods in one place. The monsters that simple equation will draw...they will see the truth for themselves quickly," she said. "We've been lucky to this point that we've stayed moving even though there are likely monsters converging on us from every direction. Our time spent in Vegas will give them all an opportunity to catch us up, and it's likely that we'll have to fight our way back to New York."
"Lovely thought," said Beckendorf, grimacing.
"Indeed," agreed Atlanta. "To that end we'll have to make adjustments. They cannot, under any circumstances, come to harm. We will protect them with our lives until such a time as we return them to Camp Half-Blood."
Clarisse grunted unhappily at the declaration. "We get it, even if we don't like it," she growled. "Still a bunch of crap if you ask me. I'm happy to be entrusted with a quest, but it just sucks that we're being told that the lives of two kids are apparently worth more than ours."
"This quest was ordered by our King," Atlanta said slowly, frowning. "Be cautious with your grievances. Ours is not to question his rule or his decisions."
Briefly, though it was difficult to hear over the drone of the van, there was a low rumble of thunder in the clear sky. Clarisse flinched away from the sound, as if a lightning bolt was getting ready to shred her through the roof of the van. Beckendorf's hands tightened noticeably on the steering wheel, and Atlanta briefly felt a small surge of satisfaction at the sound, though she had nothing personally against the other girl. The fact was that she was raised to honor the will of the Gods without question, and she felt that the other demigods sometimes spoke too freely with their criticisms.
They weren't nearly old enough or wise enough to question the Gods so openly when they couldn't possibly know the full situation. She'd heard the other kids back at camp, the way they spoke of the Gods as if they had a right to disrespect them because they were born from them. It was blasphemous and they would've lost their heads for it in the old world. While she didn't think this warranted such an extreme response, Atlanta still felt that they should be corrected for their attitude.
She could perhaps get away with speaking more freely to her own father than any other, and she could never imagine disrespecting him so openly. To disrespect Zeus, or even his orders, when even her father bowed to him? Never.
These kids still didn't realize their situation, she thought. They didn't see that they were not modern mortals who could be carefree and shout to the world about their 'free speech'. They were demigod soldiers, young though they may be, and were beholden to their King – a monarch whom had ruled the entire world since before their kind even walked the earth.
They were born from the race of Iron – there were two other races of mortal men before them, aside from the immortal Golden race that faded long ago. The Silver and Bronze races had lived – and died – at Zeus' command. It would not do to think themselves above his rule, lest they join their predecessors in a history filled with destruction. The Greeks of old had been taught this history, though little remained of it outside of a few stories and poems. It was not outside the realm of possibility for the Gods to decide to 'reset the world', as it were. They'd done it before.
The old stories said that they'd announce themselves with fire and brimstone. Ares and Perseus would fall upon the world in divine retribution and expunge the mortal men from history's weave. Meteors would rain from the sky and human weapons of war would be useless in the face of their wrath. Once they were finished, Poseidon would flood the remainder of the world and Hades would claim the souls of the dead for his own. Atop his mountain throne, Zeus would watch the world be brought to heel beneath his destructive might.
They would reset, then, and try something new that might please them better.
"Still sucks," Clarisse muttered quietly, and Atlanta clenched her jaw around the response she wanted to give.
Their entry into Las Vegas brought with it a massive influx of traffic and lights. The sun had set just two hours before, and the city was lit up like a jewel gleaming in the desert. Atlanta took over driving just on the outskirts of the city, as Beckendorf found himself nervous to drive and navigate the mass of vehicles that all seemed poised to shove each other out of the way.
The deeper they traveled into the city the stranger the sights became. There were oddly dressed people walking the sidewalks – some in the streets as well – and what seemed to be a wedding chapel on every corner. Shopping districts and food courts lined the streets, hotels surrounded by lights and fountains down every road. There were casinos and attractions that seemed to draw the people like moths, spotlights crisscrossing the skyline from elsewhere in the city and most of the people seemed to be having the time of their lives – especially those entering establishments with scantily-clad women depicted on the buildings.
Atlanta's lip curled slightly at their hedonistic behavior.
They were all far too indulgent and carefree, wasteful and seemingly throwing themselves at the most perverse pleasures they could find. She could never understand the appeal of such a fall from modesty and self-respect. They were, in her mind at least, even worse than the wretches that populated New York at the worst of times. Lady Artemis would be shamed to find her in such a sinful place.
She'd memorized the address printed on the business card and used her talent for navigation to see them there as quickly as she could. She never told the others how she learned the location, and having seen her navigate just fine over the last several days, they never asked.
The Lotus Hotel and Casino was on the far western side of the city and nearly to it's very edge. It wasn't located in the heart of the city and instead sat unobtrusively in an area that was less likely to draw attention to itself. However because it was in a less-dense area it seemed to gleam all the brighter. The front was lit up in flashy golden lights and there was a valet out front ready to take people's vehicles to the parking lot further west.
Atlanta could see cars sitting there that looked as if they hadn't moved in decades, many of them old with the rounded, bulbous steel bodies covered in a thick layer of sand and dust. There were a couple of limousines and even a police car that was nearly hidden beneath years of grime blown in from the desert. This assured her more than anything that they'd found the correct place.
"This is it," she said, though it seemed slightly unnecessary. She'd stopped out by the street and noticed the glassy-eyed valet staring at them from his place next to the entrance. "We need to get something of a game plan for how we approach this."
"Don't eat anything," Clarisse said, frowning. "That's how they get people in the old stories. Once you eat some of the Lotus Flowers you get trapped."
"Yeah, and refuse anything else they offer you too," said Beckendorf. "All monsters evolve over time, and they might have the Flowers in something as simple as a glass of water."
"Agreed," said Atlanta. "We'll need to try not to be separated once inside. The legends say it's like a maze in there, and we may have difficulty finding one another if we split up."
"I had a thought, but I didn't want to bring it up really. Now that we're here, though, I think it might be for the best," said Beckendorf. "I don't trust this guy out front. Even if we get in and out quickly we can't count on doing it quietly. If we have to make a fast exit, there isn't any way to know where he'll put the van with all of our stuff."
"You want to stay behind with the van?" asked Atlanta.
"Want to, no," he said grimly. "I felt pretty useless before and would rather to watch your backs. I think I might have to anyway, though. We need someone on the outside to be ready for a quick getaway. If it comes to a fight in there you two would be better in that situation than me. Also, if you guys are caught by the trap, at least we'll have someone keeping track of the time out here to maybe make a rescue."
"That's a solid plan," said Clarisse, nodding.
Atlanta agreed, though she never would have thought the boy would volunteer. "It is. Time is said to move differently in there, though. You may be waiting for several days while only hours pass for us, or an even further difference in time. There isn't any way to tell if we've definitively been caught by their trap or if time itself is the issue."
"It's better than all of us being caught, though, and possibly losing all our supplies," he said in return. "It's about a two day drive counting stops from here back to New York, give or take. We have just under thirteen days left until the deadline. If I don't see you by the morning of the ninth day, I'll come in after you. That leaves a two day grace period for me to find you and hopefully get out, and two more days to drive home. It's the best shot we have."
After a few moments it was agreed upon, and both Atlanta and Clarisse exited the van. They would take only their weapons, as well as a bottle of water each and a couple of high-calorie protein bars they'd bought during their restock after Missouri. As soon as they were clear, Beckendorf waved and pulled away toward the parking lot.
"Let's get this over with," said Clarisse, her mood seeming to sour as they came down to the actual objective of the quest. "Once we find them, we aren't going to have a lot of time. I say we try to get them to come with us nicely first. If they refuse, we find something to tie them up and drag their asses out anyway."
"Agreed," Atlanta said. "They'll come with us either way. To do so willingly would be for the best, however. We need them cooperative on the return trip or protecting them will be a lot harder."
With a final glance at one another, they approached the main entrance. The glassy-eyed valet barely looked at them as they passed him and prepared to enter the building nervously. The glass doors opened of their own accord, and Atlanta's eyes widened in alarm as the rich scent of Lotus Flowers instantly overpowered her senses. They'd managed to infuse the Flowers into the air conditioning.
'Son of a…'
Her mind immediately seemed to cloud over as a warm, inviting feeling swelled within her. She felt like she was home, and wondered why exactly she would've ever left this place. Somewhere within was her father, her sisters and her mistress. They were beckoning her inside, she only had to explore and look for them.
The two girls wandered inside nearly trance-like, and were met by a man in a very fine gray suit, a dark green ascot peeking out from the top of his dress shirt. His blonde hair was slicked back and his dark eyes gleamed at the sight of them.
"Welcome to the Lotus Hotel and Casino," he said, his accent sounding vaguely British, though it sounded as if he were slowly losing it over time. "I'm happy to greet you and, as two of our VIP guests, your rooms have already been reserved in advance. Everything was paid for by your parents so that you can fully enjoy your stay here. I also have your membership cards that will allow you unlimited access to all of our amenities for whatever amount of...time...you find yourselves here."
His grin was meant to be welcoming, but it was more unsettling than anything. Another rush of the floral scent banished that thought from her mind quickly, and Atlanta accepted the red debit card with a large blooming Lotus Flower printed on the front.
"Enjoy," he said quietly, never losing his smile.
They'd been separated almost immediately. Atlanta couldn't quite remember why it was important that they stay together, when surely they'd enjoy themselves more if they sought out things they were each interested in, but she'd looked to her left to see Clarisse gone within minutes of entering. It was unsettling, vaguely, but when she couldn't think of a reason why, it seemed to simply slide from her thoughts.
The place they'd come to, however, was heavenly. She hadn't been inside very long, but already she could tell that she would like to stay for quite some time. There was a nagging feeling, like she'd forgotten something, but she brushed that aside easily. Especially when she found the Observatory that allowed her to view the constellations in a shocking amount of accurate detail. The dome-shaped room had entranced her for quite some time.
She'd found an indoor archery range that had the most challenging courses, as well as a ladies bathhouse where she could finally clean herself from the days of travel. While doing so, a nice elder lady had taken her hunting clothes and cleaned them perfectly. She passed through arcades and indoor pools with massive water slides, as well as restaurants with the most heavenly smelling food, though she wasn't hungry just yet.
Many of the people she interacted with seemed to wear an odd mismatch of styles, but she'd lived through the eras when they were popular and they seemed reasonable enough to her. She'd always liked bell-bottoms, and was sad to see them fall so heavily out of favor.
She hadn't found anyone she knew just yet, but she was sure she would soon. She'd only been there for a short time, after all. Three or four hours at most, by her measure. She still had that same sense that her sisters and her mistress were just around the corner. Her father had likely taken up residence in the Observatory, though she hadn't seen him when she was there.
She'd visited her room once, a luxury suite that was far more opulent than anything she'd ever been used to. Clarisse, she remembered, had been given a room on another floor. That's most likely where she was, Atlanta reasoned. They hadn't been there very long, and she was still probably trying to gain her bearings.
It was difficult to navigate, but she'd eventually found her way back to the archery range. She thought she might find at least one of her sisters there, and when she didn't, she decided to stay there for a while and see if one of them showed up. It truly was an intriguing course and she found it to be immensely rewarding. They had life-like targets of large game animals that moved throughout false shrubbery and trees. They were intelligent enough to try and duck her shots, though when she hit them they never fell.
What was perhaps more amazing was that she never seemed to tire. Her shoulder would normally be aching fiercely after drawing her bow so many times, but she felt none of the normal fatigue.
There was a teenage boy next to her, his shots seeming to always find their target, and he wore a comical false mustache and a red and white trucker's hat. He kept looking at her, as if he were waiting for something, but she did her level best to ignore him. If he thought she would intentionally engage with him, he was going to be horribly disappointed.
"Nice shot," he called, when she'd nailed a perfect kill on a large bull moose. The creature flickered as it disappeared, and was replaced by a shifty red fox that prowled low to the ground between the bushes in a clever pattern.
She continued to ignore him, and he frowned beneath the large hairy monstrosity that couldn't be natural. He didn't even look old enough to grow so much facial hair – perhaps seventeen or eighteen. The mustache looked like it belonged to a grizzled highway patrolman. He probably bought it in the souvenir shop near the entrance.
Her thoughts wandered briefly to why she was so focused on that detail, but like every other time it seemed to fall away among the floral scent she'd become used to.
The boy approached her swiftly, and she nearly turned her bow on him when he reached out for her face with two fingers. Before she could so much as respond, he'd tapped her on the forehead and a feeling similar to a cold bucket of water rushed across her body. The smell of flowers no longer enveloped her, and confusion seemed to take it's place.
'What the…'
Her eyes snapped up to meet the boy's, and she nearly recoiled as she recognized the face beneath the obvious disguise. Apollo's blue eyes met hers, his lips twitching into a brief smile laced with tension. Before she could speak he placed a finger to his lips as if to motion for silence.
"Name's Fred," he said, trying and failing to perform a stereotypical southern accent. "Ya looked like you's could use a hand, darlin'. That should help out. Now why don't ya git down to the arcade. Hear there's a feisty little thing could use yer help down there."
He sounded absolutely ridiculous, his words exaggerated and his draw deeper than anything she'd ever heard from an actual person. However the look in his eyes was as serious as she'd ever seen from him. Something was wrong, and with the way she seemed to be coming around with foggy memories and an almost dizzy sensation like vertigo, it was apparent that she'd been caught in the trap of the Lotus Eaters.
"Thanks, Fred," she said, her voice still a little shaky. "Umm, you wouldn't happen to know what time it is…?"
"It's time to go," he said simply. "Now."
He was deadly serious beneath his disguise, and there was a tension around his eyes that spoke of stress and worry. She'd known Apollo for what seemed like forever, and he was never worried. Still she hesitated, though she couldn't explain why. Her own thoughts were still slightly muddled, and if things were truly so dire, that meant she'd been caught in the trap for too long. It only felt like a couple of hours, but…
Apollo pointed upward. Atlanta followed his gesture with her gaze and the ceiling seemed to shimmer, becoming translucent before her eyes. Was she saw, then, chilled her to her very bones. There were stars in the night sky – which should have been invisible over Las Vegas – and they weren't where they were supposed to be. There were too many and they were way too close.
"Draco…" she whispered, terror sweeping through her at the word. The Dragon, one of her father's most dangerous and horrifying subjects, looked to be encircling the entire night sky. While the mortals could only see vague points of light to outline the constellations, she could see much, much more. The enormous form of a dragon was laid out across the horizon, and his face was staring straight downward.
Draco could, if suitably strengthened by her father, wipe out several states in a matter of hours. In a few days he could likely consume all of North America. He was, alongside Hydra, her father's most terrible and destructive servant.
"Now," Apollo repeated grimly.
Atlanta was off like a shot, tearing out of the room and down the hall. She cared nothing for the dazed mortals she trampled in her run, nor for the Lotus staff she shoved out of her way as she attempted to use her foggy memories to navigate the maze-like corridors. She knew that the arcade was near the pools, and opposite the Papa Johns with the statue of Elvis out front.
Still, even having a vague sense of the way she needed to travel the building seemed to do it's very best to keep her turned around. She ended up in a theater she knew she'd never come across, and was forced to turn back before she went too far in a direction unfamiliar to her. She crossed through an art gallery and knew she was on the right track, though she wasn't sure exactly how far she still had to go.
It was further than she'd hoped, and she was relieved to eventually hear a voice she recognized. There were shouts and screams up ahead, and above it all the challenge of a young girl she'd become very familiar with recently.
"Come on, you bastards!" Clarisse shouted from around the corner. "Take another step!"
Atlanta rounded the bend to see a rush of people scattering away from a young teenage girl, shield and spear in hand and a look of absolute fury on her face. Behind her were a pair of children, a girl and a boy dressed in old fashioned attire, and laid out in front of her was what appeared to be Hotel Security. The were all wearing dark suits with even darker sunglasses, which she found ridiculous to see indoors, and they were standing upon a layer of golden dust.
Her bow was out in an instant and she'd fired before anyone saw her. The arrow pierced the back of one of the guards' neck and he vanished into powder. By the time they turned she'd already drawn and fired again, reducing another of their number.
Seeing their distraction Clarisse leapt forward, spear lashing out into the guard nearest to her and her shield knocking another aside – an arrow met him swiftly. Within moments they had destroyed the creatures who appeared to be some of the Lotus Eaters themselves, or else some other monster that looked completely human.
"Bout time," Clarisse growled, panting in exertion. "I've been covering these two for hours, trying to find you and find the exit to this dump."
"Apologies, but we need to move," Atlanta commanded. "I can explain when we escape, but we've run out of time. We have to be gone from here without delay."
Clarisse nodded. "I've got no idea how long we've been in here, but I found these two and it seemed to shake something in my memory. Then one of those bastard guards tried to grab me, and I dusted the loser. That seemed to wake me up, and the fight afterwards did the same for them."
Atlanta looked over the two children behind her. They were both tall for their age, thin and pale with black hair and dark-colored eyes. The girl was beautiful, her face angular and stunning, while the boy looked near identical to the God who'd towered over them near the graveyard back in the Midwest. There was no mistake that these were children of Hades.
"I don't know what's going on, but you can't just tell us to follow you, pazzi," the girl said bravely, eyeing their weapons with trepidation.
"And I already told you, you don't have a choice!" Clarisse snapped in return. "These damn guards aren't trying to protect you, they're trying to keep you locked up in this shithole."
"Clarisse is right, Bianca," said Atlanta, glancing around and knowing they needed to move before more guards arrived. "We were sent by your father, and we will explain everything on the drive. Just please come with us calmly. We don't wish to force you, but we have our orders, and we are out of time."
"Our father is dead," she returned. "So is Madre."
Atlanta snorted; she couldn't help herself. "Whether or not your father is dead is a question that likely has many layers, but he did send us, and we are moving, now."
"Did you see them fight, B?" asked the boy, who was looking more and more enthusiastic as the conversation dragged on. "Those guys just vanished into powder!"
"They weren't guys, they were monsters. They will devour your very life force. Now we move. Clarisse take rear, I'll lead. Make sure to keep those two between us at all times."
"Right," she agreed with a sharp nod. "You two, follow her or I'm gonna start poking holes in you."
"This isn't right," Bianca said unhappily, but she ushered her brother under her arm and began to follow as Atlanta lead the way from the room.
They moved slowly, so that they didn't overextend themselves and leave an opening in which they could lose the two kids. Guards came for them twice, and each time she didn't even allow them to speak. Arrows were loosed in their direction as soon as they showed their faces, and she never broke stride. Some of them tried to come from behind but Clarisse must have left an impression before Atlanta joined her because they never tried to get too close to her.
Without moving as fast as she had been alone, it allowed her more time to think carefully about their route and she was able to navigate them safely to the entrance. The man in the gray suit was there, frowning unhappily and glaring at them, but he allowed them to pass out the doors into the warm night air of Las Vegas.
Draco stared down at them balefully, and out from beneath the cover of that wretched place she could feel his fury. Like a barely-leashed tiger he was just waiting for the opportunity to descend from his perch.
There was a screech of tires, the roar of an engine that didn't sound familiar, and then a van came hurtling around the corner from the parking lot. It was their van, but it most certainly wasn't the same one they'd left. The tires and wheels were much nicer, the bumper was a polished chrome, and there was music playing from the stereo that hadn't worked when they entered the Casino.
"What the hell?" Clarisse wondered.
"In, now," Atlanta said instead. She ran up to the vehicle and threw open the side doors, ushering the two children inside and leaping in after them. "Let me drive."
"Sure thing," Beckendorf said, obviously noticing her tone wasn't open to arguments. He climbed over to the passenger seat while Clarisse entered and slammed the doors. As soon as she was in the driver seat she threw the van into gear, noticing that it reacted more smoothly, and nearly stomped the accelerator through the floor.
They tore out of the parking lot and soon out of Las Vegas entirely.
Eight days.
They'd been inside for eight days, leaving them only five left to travel nearly the width of the entire country. It was doable, for sure, but only if they didn't run into any major issues.
While they were gone Beckendorf had used the time to make improvements on their transport. There were now two bench seats bolted into the back in an L shape, leaving the center of the cargo area as well as the passenger side where the doors opened free. He'd upgraded engine parts, wheels and tires, brakes and even the transmission. He'd also managed to fix the droning tones of the exhaust and the rattles and squeaks of the suspension. It was still ugly, but much better than it once was.
Apparently he'd stripped everything useful from the vehicles in the surrounding parking lot that he could get his hands on. He'd used tools from his own small tool-bag he brought with him, and others from the cars themselves that were apparently packed away in their trunks. The cars belonged to people trapped by the Lotus Eaters, so he assumed they wouldn't miss the stuff he'd taken.
The looks he'd received while explaining had made him appear a little self-conscious.
He'd also gotten a visit from Apollo, though he'd described him as a 'freak with a log of hair on his lip', and had been told to prepare for some trouble at the front doors of the Casino. He'd barely gotten the van started when they burst through them.
The kids had stopped being difficult after the first couple of hours. Once things were able to be explained more calmly by Beckendorf, the younger boy instead seemed to be a fountain of questions. He began comparing the divine world to a game he'd apparently learned every detail to. Atlanta wasn't sure exactly what it meant that Hades had five thousand attack points if his opponent attacked first, but it really didn't matter.
Bianca had been very quiet by comparison, and while she did eventually begin to believe them, she still appeared to be processing everything.
Her and Clarisse, it turned out, were like oil and water.
After the events in the casino and the threats of bodily harm, Bianca had taken an instant dislike to Clarisse and the feeling appeared mutual. They were snappy with each other, and while the Italian girl appeared to use more wit in her arguments, the daughter of Ares instead let her know that she'd be happy to stop talking and settle their issues another way. Playing referee to them had become exhausting quickly.
Finally, blissfully, they'd decided to ignore one another.
Atlanta remained in the driver seat as they left Nevada and crossed into Utah. She planned to alternate their route slightly, and instead of heading directly east at Denver, she was going to take I-76 north through Nebraska and go east on I-80 from there. The time difference was negligible, and it would allow them to avoid both Kansas and Missouri. She hoped it would allow them to bypass any monsters waiting to ambush them along the road.
Unlikely, but a girl could hope.
While the others had seemed to relax, they also seemed to forget that they were now in the most dangerous portion of their quest. They now had five demigods headed east together, and their destination would be obvious to any in the divine world. Camp Half-Blood was no secret to the monsters, it was just too well protected to breach. Their journey was only becoming more perilous by the day.
Even worse, they had less than half a tank of fuel and would have to stop soon. They still had several hundred dollars of the money her father had given them, but getting off the highway and stopping for any length of time would be dangerous in the extreme. Monsters were just as widely spread as people, and there was almost nowhere that was truly free of them. Their scent would be broadcast far and wide, and there wasn't anything they could do about it.
Alongside their quest, she also had another mission given to her by Lady Artemis that she hadn't mentioned to the others. Atlanta had been instructed to prepare Bianca to join the Hunt as one of her Lady's handmaidens. Apparently it was important that she join them, enough so that Artemis was entrusting her with a task she would normally only see to herself. It had never been their place to sway a maiden to join them, even though they were willing to welcome any who desired it.
"Bianca, join me in the front, would you?" she called behind her. The others were all in the back, and Clarisse was lounging in the bend of the two seats napping from their previous battle. Technically the two of them hadn't slept in nine days, though they hadn't experienced the full effect of it. Beckendorf was back there as well answering Nico's questions as best as he could.
The other girl hesitated a moment, but after a particularly boisterous exclamation from her younger brother she did so quickly. She appeared a little overwhelmed by everything, not the least of which was the fact that it had apparently been sixty years since she'd seen the world and everything was new to her.
"It's a lot to take in," said Atlanta, her tone sympathetic. If anyone knew the weight of watching the world you once knew disappear and be replaced by something totally unfamiliar, it was her.
Bianca tilted her head, her eyes glued to the shiny and sleek sports car that roared by them on the left. "It's...faticoso. It's hard...everything is so different…"
"It is," she agreed quietly. "I remember the same time you remember, and even further still. I remember when horses and chariots were pulled through ancient Greece, when the world was still small and simple."
"Certo," Bianca said, nodding hesitantly. "I...we were born in Italia, in Venezia. I...my English is not so good as my brother. He was young when we come to America. Nico doesn't remember…"
"You're English is perfectly fine," Atlanta disagreed. "Many people in America these days only speak a single language. For a girl your age to be capable of two is relatively rare and valuable. If my words ever confuse you, just let me know."
The girl blushed slightly and shook her head. "I understand, just sometimes speaking gets confused. It's like...like I must translate each word before I say."
Atlanta nodded. She'd had the same trouble with Latin when they moved from Greece to Rome, and then again with every new place as they followed the flame of western civilization over the years. Luckily, as complex as the English language was, she'd been speaking another version of it long before they came to America. For the Gods it was much simpler – they were always perfectly fluent in languages spoken by those who they presided over. They never had to learn a language, for as soon as their disciples spoke it so too could they. A single prayer was all it took.
"It will get easier with time," Atlanta said knowingly. "I wanted to speak to you about your plans for the future, once we get to New York."
"Plans?" she questioned. "We are supposed to go to this camp, yes? You say my father sent you to get us."
"He did, though only to keep you safe. As we said before, the Casino was a monster's lair and you couldn't remain there forever. Eventually they would have drained your life force completely," she explained. "What I meant was that, as a girl, you have other options besides Camp Half-Blood."
"You mean with you?" Bianca questioned hesitantly. "The boy, he says you serve a Goddess, that you travel with her."
Atlanta smiled, and it was one of the most honest expressions she'd worn throughout their entire journey. "I do," she agreed. "I serve the Lady Artemis, eternally. All young girls below age seventeen are welcome to join her as a handmaiden. In return for our service, she graces us with the Blessing of the Moon. We never age or fall to sickness, and so long as we remain true to her, we can only die by falling to an enemy in battle."
Atlanta recognized the gleam of interest in Bianca's eyes, and continued. "At her side we travel the world and see the most beautiful of sights. We hunt the wild places beyond the reach of man, and we live together in a sisterhood of service to our Lady. There are two dozen of us, when the Hunt is full, though we currently lack two members. I serve as our Lady's Herald, a position of prestige behind only her Lieutenant, Zoë Nightshade."
"It sounds...piacevole, incredible...but…" she trailed off uncertainly.
"Lady Artemis would welcome you, I'm certain of it," Atlanta said, hoping to entice the girl. "You are a young maiden and she would adore you as she does all of us."
Bianca shook her head slightly, turning to gaze out the window. "Nico...he needs me still. You say only young girls may follow her."
"Nico would be looked after and cared for, to be sure. Camp Half-Blood is watched over by my father and protected. No creatures are allowed to pass it's borders, and there are more than a hundred other demigods just like us who call it home. He will have friends and teachers to look out for him. Chiron is the best, and boys just like Beckendorf back there are everywhere in camp," she explained.
"I...what would I have to do, if I wanted to…"
"Only speak with Lady Artemis. She will be at camp with the rest of my sisters either when we arrive or shortly after. She only has a single condition, which is to swear off the romantic company of men forever. If you could follow that simple oath, then she would welcome you as her champion."
"That's all?" Bianca asked, appearing surprised.
"That's all," Atlanta confirmed. "Just a vow of maidenhood, forever, and in return the entire world opens up for you."
Night turned to day as they traveled, and Atlanta was alarmed to see the pinpricks of light that made up Draco still barely visible in the sky. However, as urgent as their quest had become, she was exhausted and continuing to drive was dangerous in her fatigued state. They had to pull off the highway and fuel up anyway, and so she made plans with Beckendorf to switch drivers. They took an exit just about ten miles after crossing the Colorado border, and stopped in Mack – a tiny little community that they hoped to get into and out of quickly.
She knew something wasn't right immediately when they pulled up to the fuel station. There weren't any cars, at all, and it looked almost like a ghost town. It was eerie and unsettling, and yet their gas tank was nearly empty. They had to pull over and try to fuel, even when she wanted nothing more than to drive as far away from the small town as she could.
There weren't any people driving or walking by, there weren't any birds or animals – not so much as a dog barking in the distance. The silence was heavy and oppressive as they all climbed out slowly to look around. The hairs on the back of Atlanta's neck were standing on end, and she knew they weren't nearly as alone as it seemed.
"We have to move, fast," she said to the group as they all stared around at the seemingly empty world. "We use the restroom in groups and keep the van running. Beckendorf can fuel up while I take the first group inside, and then we can switch. No shopping around and no wasting time. This is dangerous."
Atlanta herded Bianca and Nico with her, leaving Clarisse to stand guard over both the van and Beckendorf while he fueled. The bell for the door jingled overhead as she opened it cautiously, and still there was no signs of life within the small building. Her instincts were screaming at her to run away. "To the restroom, quickly," she urged, eyes darting side to side. "We go into the same one – we do not separate. The boy will just have to mind himself and will absolutely keep to his own stall, or there will be consequences."
Now, as much as she hated the vaguely nauseating thought, was not the time for complete modesty. Their very lives were on the line, and she wouldn't let these two out of her immediate reach. The simple act of going into the boy's restroom alone could be the death of Nico, something she would not allow. Something hunted this place, and they were currently prey until they could either escape or become the hunters themselves.
They all completed their business – uncomfortably – and exited the restroom as fast as they could. They made it back outside and passed Beckendorf and Clarisse as they rushed to do the same, while she ushered the two kids back into the relative safety of the van. The engine was still running, and Atlanta took a position outside where she could fight if need be while they waited on the others.
The first sign of what she knew was coming showed itself then. It was simple enough, just a scorpion skittering from beneath the van, but she realized immediately that it was heading straight for her foot. It was black and shiny, nearly ten inches long and twice as large as any that should be found in Colorado. She drew her bow and leapt away, an arrow punching through it quickly.
It dissolved into a golden dust, and a thrill of terror swept through her as she realized it was a Pit Scorpion, a species straight from Tartarus that was possibly lethal to even immortals. They were capable of jumping fifteen feet and to a human their venom was deadly within sixty seconds. Had it stung her, she never would have left the parking lot.
"Come on," she muttered to herself, though Clarisse and Beckendorf hadn't been gone long at all. Her eyes scanned the area and looked for anything out of place, but she saw nothing. "This is getting more dangerous by the second."
"Oh, it certainly is," said a deep, male voice with an amused tone.
Atlanta whipped around to see a towering figure leaned casually against the pillar which held up the roof over the fuel pumps. He hadn't been there a second ago. The man was tall and broad, covered in bronze armor which seemed to bulge slightly with thick muscle, and had burn scars creeping out from behind his chest piece. They curled up his throat and across his lower jaw. His helm was an intricate thing – it covered the sides and back of his head and left his face bare. From the top sides a pair of large ram-horns curled into half-circles around his ears, their points stopping just in front of his lower jaw.
The ram...something in that imagery jogged her memory, but it seemed just outside her grasp.
One thing was for certain, though. A single glance into his eyes which shined with a cold blue light told her that this was an immortal.
The man tilted his head slowly, a cruel smile curling his lips. "What's the matter? Don't you recognize me...little star?"
The last two words made her recoil violently. That same tone, the same amused cruelty – the man raised his left hand to display a glowing white ring on his forefinger, and as he made a fist, something just below her sternum pulled and she choked in agony.
This was the creature from her dream back in Pennsylvania.
The pain caused her bow to clatter uselessly from her hands, and she saw the two children of Hades getting ready to get out of the van. "Don't!" she cried. "Stay inside the van!"
The man laughed, low and deep as he watched her struggle for breath. He held his hand up and admired his ring thoughtfully. "This...yes, this explains a lot," he said, ignoring her pleas to the children. "I must admit that when your father did something similar to me, I was baffled. I couldn't even understand how it was possible, and yet...with this relic, it becomes far too easy."
Atlanta didn't know what he was talking about, but mentioning her father caused a brief hope to flare within her. 'Father!' she called in prayer. 'Come, please!'
The creature laughed again, staring at her with undisguised glee and spreading his arms wide in welcome. "Yes!" he said joyfully. "Yes, call to him. Call to your useless father, girl. A shame, however...that he cannot hear you."
Her prayers faltered uselessly, staring at him without seeming to comprehend...her father could always hear her. Always, no matter the situation, he would respond. How could he not…?
The man grinned, his eyes flicking over to the pair of children huddled in the back of the van. "You see, it isn't easy to take a piece of the world and hide it away, but that's exactly where we are. The little shits who call themselves Gods can't reach this place right now. Not your father, not their father, and not your little bitch Goddess you follow around like a dog on a leash."
"The mortals," he continued. "Well, they had to go. I piled them up in the center of town. The Gods, when they can finally reach this place again, will find quite the surprise."
That wasn't possible. Nobody could do that. Nobody could just take a piece of the world away from the Gods and keep them away.
The man eyed her shrewdly. "You're being awfully quiet, little star," he said.
"I...who are you...?" she muttered.
The man grinned a shark-like smile full of teeth and hunger. "It doesn't surprise me that they wouldn't keep records of us around, as fearful as they are. Cowardly shits. To answer your question...I am the Ram. I am the Pillar of the South and Lord of all within the Heavens...I am Krios, true master of the Stars."
Author's Note: The holiday delayed me a little in getting this Chapter out, and it will likely happen again closer to Christmas as I deal with family obligations and life in the real world alongside work and everything else. However, I'm enjoying myself in writing this, so have no fear of it being abandoned. If I happen to go a couple of weeks without an update, it's only because I have other things going on. I will come back to it until it's finished.
As for the Chapter, well, I felt it was time to finally reveal the hidden enemy of Perseus. Not a real shocker, I realize, but it's time for the Titans to begin making their entrance to the story. Now, as we leave off, Atlanta is face to face with one of them and the Gods are beyond her reach.
The scene in the Lotus Hotel was probably the most difficult for me. It felt a little forced and rushed, but I had to get through it quickly and besides the trap of Time, it really wasn't too dangerous a situation for them. The dangers of the quest are more in the journey than the actual objective, as has been stated in the story more than once.
Let me know what you thought of it, please. I feel like the pacing is okay, not too fast and not terribly slow. While every moment isn't packed with action, I think it's moving along okay. There will be large scale battles later in the story for those of you who want that, but it can't happen without a buildup within the plot and so that's what we're seeing now.
Next Chapter will actually be the return to normal that this chapter was supposed to be originally. The interlude is over after this, and we will likely still see five more chapters before another Interlude happens.
Thanks for all the feedback and I hope you all had a good Holiday, with another coming up in a few weeks.