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Post by Nariku The Avaricious on Aug 24, 2023 13:10:10 GMT -5
Theo was glad that Chiara chose to not pry any further, because it was hard to admit he wasn’t doing okay. So many pent up emotions in the span of one encounter and it just had to have been let out in the most embarrassing way possible. In front of everyone because people were being nice and thanked him. It was easier for him to pretend it didn’t happen. It's what he did for all his problems, even if it seemed like he did a bad job at hiding it.
The only person he really opened up to about it was Luka, maybe Ariella if venting to her during the camping trip counted as such. Both of which were very obviously worse off than he was.
When he heard the toaster go off, Theo quickly took the finished toast out and put more bread into it for the next batch. He listened as Chiara suggested the library or training grounds when it came to figuring out his powers.
“I can’t say I’m much of a reader, but maybe” Theo stated, taking her words into consideration as he worked. He had to admit that he never looked much into Baldr and just went off what he already knew. He was some deity everyone adored, was shot by mistletoe and died. Currently the only thing that was checking out for him was the mistletoe. Ever since he was chosen he just felt unsafe around the stuff.
As for the training room question, he wanted to consider that as well. He’d never taken it seriously, but after watching Ariella just fight the wolf like a beast while the rest of them could only watch… he needed to know how to protect himself and others if talking wasn’t going to work.
Soon the last of the toast popped up, and Theo plucked them out of the device, setting them on a plate before slathering them with butter. He then sat the plate of toast next to the assortment of cereal bowls, along with a gallon of milk.
He looked over at Chiara, his expression showing uncertainty, “Is this enough? Do they need more?”
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Aug 24, 2023 13:37:11 GMT -5
Chiara listened as Theo explained that he wasn’t much of a reader. She had guessed as much, since only she and Jason seemed to be regular users of the Pantheon’s library.
”I think I might know some places you could start to look to help answer your question.” she said ”You can usually find me there if you ever want to have a look. But who knows, maybe Baldr has his own plans for how you figure it out. The gods are weird that way.”
They all too rarely shared their plans with the ascendants. They could be secretive, annoyingly so, frustrating the ascendants with the lack of information they provided. She wasn’t above admitting that Heimdallr irritated her quite a lot with that kind of thing.
When he looked over at her, questioning if the food was enough, Chiara smiled.
”I think it’s perfect,” she answered, ”I can help you bring it out. I can always whip up some eggs or something if people want something else too, but I think they’ll be happy with this. It was nice of you to think of everybody like this.”
Theo’s breakfast was perfect. She doubted anyone would want anything big or heavy that morning anyway, and she knew people would appreciate him doing the food for everyone.
She grabbed what she could to help carry. They could take some to Medbay and set the rest up in the dining room, perhaps. Maybe bring some for Lucien and Cleo to the leaders’ room if they wanted to have breakfast while working in there.
”Let’s bring everybody their breakfast.”
Not that she intended to be taking any credit for it, of course. The whole thing was Theo, she’d just helped with grabbing some bowls and carrying some food in really. |
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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Aug 24, 2023 13:47:59 GMT -5
 Clementine Lester
Clementine had left for their own room the night before after tucking Lucien in, unable to face all the injured faces and the silence. A gnawing guilt dug at their chest, and they closed their fist over it throughout the night, fitful in dreams and sleep. Eventually, they realized they wouldn't get rest that night, and gave up on the idea all together by early morning. Instead, they made their way back to the medbay, listening to the gentle voices in the halls, Chiara and Theo's stood out in their cadence as Cleo walked silently past the kitchen to reach the medbay.
When they entered, they took in Guinevere and Griffin, curled on the ground in a pile of blankets. The walked by the two, eyes narrowed upon the area Lucien was before, only to see that like Chiara and Theo, he was gone. Nearby to that was Ariella, who looked better than the night before, but still looked so very tired. Luka herself was much more quiet and still than she usually was, skin paler than normal with a sheen to it still, clothes bloodstained, and IV in her arm. The girl seemed fitful even in her rest, a worried line between her closed eyes, and her fingers twitching as if searching for a weapon every so often. Even in rest, she seemed pained, and Cleo turned away.
"I never should have pushed for them to do this," Cleo whispered, resting their hands on an empty table, screwing their eyes shut against the headache thudding behind their eyes, "I never should have-"
"You need to stop that," Ma'at spoke softly, she didn't speak as often anymore, usually leaving Cleo to their own devices, believing they'd handle things as they needed to, but it seemed she deemed that they needed help now, "it doesn't matter whose fault it is, it just matters that it's fixed."
Cleo wanted to ask her how they could fix any of this. River refused to get help, felt alienated because of their actions, of what they made him do. Laurie was gone, Echo was gone, Pascal was gone, Daniel was gone, Haleema was gone. Cleo desperately wished for Haleema's calm and control, for her steadfastness and ability to keep others in line. Now, Lucien was desperate and terrified for his best friend who still had yet to wake up, and Guinevere and Griffin refused to leave Ariella.
"The Champion of Hercules and the Champion of Loki will recover in due time," Ma'at commented, voice apathetic, but Cleo knew it was out of worry, concern, Ma'at didn't like to show bias, after all.
Cleo tried not to question her words, looking back at the two. The attack last night was likely the worst in all of their history, the worst to date it would seem. Lucien was more exhausted than he had ever been before, after all. Worse yet, a dark part of their mind whispered that this was only the beginning.
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Aug 24, 2023 14:05:08 GMT -5
There was no sign of anybody in the leaders’ areas at all. Dillon could call over the intercom, but he knew how early it was and it didn’t feel like a good idea.
So with that in mind, the boy decided he would just have to go on a little mission to find Cleo - or anyone, really - himself.
He stepped out of the room and into the corridor, but rather than being drawn towards the bedrooms something in his gut told him he should check Medbay. Indeed, as he headed down the hallways and got closer to the Medbay he could see light spilling out onto the floor. Somebody, at least, was in there.
The boy got closer to the door, and as he did he could feel a churning apprehension in his gut. Something felt very wrong about how quiet this place was. He had no reason to panic but his instincts were telling him he wasn’t going to like what he’d just walked into.
The door was ajar, sending a shard of light out into the hallway. He pushed it open, and the scene he was greeted with was not pretty.
He’d at least found Cleo, but everybody else in the room was looking worse for wear. Guinevere and Griffin lay asleep on the floor, and Ariella in one of the beds. The Heracles’ champion had her arm in a sling, he instantly noticed. Two beds were empty, and he did not know who their occupants had been. If he had to guess based on the blanket choices, Chiara and Theo, but he couldn’t be sure. It still meant two more injured people.
But he paled when he caught sight of Luka. Lying too quiet, too still, and too pale. An IV in her arm. Her clothes were bloodstained, he couldn’t help but note with a rising note of concern.
Whatever he’d walked into was not good.
The boy discarded his bag, putting it down at the doorway as he approached Cleo, brows pulling together in concern as he took in the scene around them.
”Cleo…” he began ”Cleo what the hell has been going on?”
Did he even want the answer? Probably not, for he already knew he wasn’t going to like whatever Cleo had to say in reply.
He didn’t know whether to be glad Irene had sent him home, or to wish he was still back in Venice. Perhaps a bit of both.
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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Aug 24, 2023 14:18:04 GMT -5
Clementine Lester
Cleo was busy brooding when Dillon walked in, but when they heard his voice, they seemed to brighten just slightly, running over to the other leader and pulling him into a slight hug, before immediately backing up and checking him for injuries. Too much had happened for them to be sure he was fine.
Their eyes felt watery. They had felt so stuck as a leader, wary of trusting Lucien and Luka after what they had pulled on Halloween, and so they felt like everything was on them. Then Luka's mission went all haywire anyways, and River was still isolating, unready to come back out again.
"Thank goodness you're here," they said, not quite answering his very loaded question, though their eyes quickly flickered into uncertainty, glancing around, "where's Irene?"
A gnawing part of their guilt reminded them that Lorenzo had only ever mentioned Dillon when he called. He'd never said a word about the Chosen of Zeus, and they felt a well of worry build in their body.
"They didn't-" their voice choked off, muted anger and disbelief in it, "they didn't get her too, did they?"
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Aug 24, 2023 14:38:02 GMT -5
Dillon was surprised to receive a hug from Cleo, he had to admit. Things had to be even worse than he’d originally thought to warrant that.
”It’s alright, I’m okay,” he assured them as they checked him for injuries.
He paused when they asked him about Irene, though. He had been expecting them to ask sooner or later, but that didn’t make him feel any more prepared to explain everything. It wasn’t something he was looking forward to saying. Still, he took a deep breath and began to explain.
”Irene’s safe, she’s back in Venice with Enzo. But that’s actually why it took me so long to get back, we’ve been dealing with a situation. The Gwen girl was there and we fought her, but then Zeus kind of…” he winced before he finished the next part of the sentence, ”dumped Irene. She’s got no powers right now and can’t return to the Pantheon without a guide.”
He knew this was bad news, very bad news. It meant they were another leader down. Dillon already knew Haleema was gone and River had been seriously injured. Not to mention that he only had to look over to one of the beds to see that another of their leaders was at least temporarily down.
But he’d also noticed that Cleo had neglected to answer his previous question, and he knew he had to ask. He had to find out more about what had happened, why this situation before him had unfolded.
”Cleo, what happened while I was gone?” he asked ”I need to know what went on. I know something went wrong on Hallowe’en but I need to know everything if I’m going to be of any help.”
He had to know what had happened. He knew something had occurred on Hallowe’en but he didn’t know yet the details of how bad it was. How many had been taken. All he knew was Haleema was gone and River injured.
He had to know what he had just walked into.
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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Aug 24, 2023 15:05:36 GMT -5
Clementine Lester
Cleo frowned as Dillon began delicately explaining his situation, silent throughout, though they began to stressfully begin to pace, arms crossed as they listened to Dillon explain that Irene had been...what...abandoned?
"She's...fine though, right? Her and Lorenzo?" They questioned, just reaffirming it more than asking for assurance.
But then Dillon was pressing more on what happened, and Cleo chuckled mirthlessly, it was more of a stressed noise, shaking their head as they stopped to look at him and glancing around at those still sleeping.
"We...we should go somewhere else and talk, Dillon," they commented, exiting the room and looking back at Dillon, beckoning him to follow, as soon as they got to the hall, they began explaining, "it started that same day you, Lorenzo, and Irene left for Italy," they commented, looking down as they began walking to the leader's room, "things got much worse, Luka and Lucien went missing with some of the others, and River came back alone, in dire need of assistance, heavily injured. We couldn't do anything, we were too low on people," they commented, feeling an undercurrent of anger as they spoke, a fist clenching at their side, "the Exiled got the others, we don't even know if they're-" they cut off, refusing to finish that statement and looking away.
Instead they moved on "Luka and Lucien were out trick or treating, I guess, they came back, but tensions were high. I told them," they stopped, clicking their tongue as they thought it over, "I told them we'd reevaluate they're role as leaders, when everything is over, when it's better...if it gets better."
That covered that night in a very small, short summary, but there was the latest mission. They rubbed at their temple as the headache built, remembering the day prior, "given that River was isolating after everything, after Lucien and Luka's actions and Luka's words, leadership was left to Luka, Lucien, and myself. We decided to do a stealth mission on the Exiled base, see if we could map it out, get a future plan on what to do. Lane went missing beforehand, but they decided to still go. Luka led Ariella, Theodore, and Chiara on that mission. You can see how that ended," they commented, eyes haunted as they stared down the hall, unable to make eye contact with Dillon at the moment, mind much too busy.
"Now River is isolating, Luka is injured, Lucien is feeling like he hasn't done enough, and I don't know what to do," they admitted, voice breaking slightly under the burden they felt, "Haleema, Laurie, Echo, Daniel, Pascal...they're gone, and we don't know if they're even alive."
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Aug 24, 2023 15:35:35 GMT -5
Dillon nodded when Cleo asked him again if Irene and Lorenzo were okay.
”They’re alright. Looking after one another.” he confirmed.
But when Cleo asked him to talk elsewhere, he followed the other ascendant outside into the hallway and then towards the leaders’ room, folding his arms as he listened to Cleo explain everything. It truly did sound awful. First everyone but River from the first mission disappearing, then some clear disintegration among the leaders. Then Lane going missing. And now another failed mission, this time resulting in more serious injuries.
He didn’t need Cleo to finish the sentence when talking about the kidnapped kids. The ‘alive’ was heartbreaking and implied.
He couldn’t say he agreed at the idea of re-evaluating Luka and Lucien’s positions as leaders, especially having learned from River and that last meeting. He didn’t say so; it didn’t feel like the time.
When Cleo’s voice cracked, Dillon opened his arms to pull them into a second hug. They needed it; needed some reassurance for once. Cleo might have made mistakes, but they were as afraid as any of the rest of them.
”We’re going to figure it out,” he promised, releasing them, ”River needs some time, grace and patience, and Luka just needs some time to heal. Lucien… we can solve that one. And as for everybody else, we’re going to figure out how to fix it. This doesn’t have to be on you anymore.”
Mistakes had been made by both him and Cleo in the past. Dillon had decided the best thing to do was to go forward with as much compassion as possible, and hopefully that would help repair some of the wounds here.
They couldn’t change what they’d done, but they could change how they moved forward.
”Now,” he said ”Let’s go to the leaders’ room, maybe call Lucien to join us if he can. And we’ll figure out what we need to do. Okay?” |
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Demisexual
Leo
Surviving off Thai tea and Miguel O'hara
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Post by Leo on Aug 24, 2023 22:36:08 GMT -5
Jason got a a third hand perspective of everything that went down the night before. Everyone came back, but in a worse state than they left. Ariella's arm and shoulder were hurt, Chiara had a mangled arm, Theo's leg was bitten into, and Luka was on an IV. So bad. Everything went badly again.
And when Dillon came back without Lorenzo or Irene he feared for the worst. Immediately, he went to find Dillon for answers. He found both Dillon and Cleo, heading towards the leaders room. He didn't even really have to ask what had happened, Cleo was already telling him to go to Italy and check on the the two missing ascendents. It wasn't much of an answer but it was better than wondering if they were kidnapped or dead too.
Stepping through the portal he made with a backpack full of snacks and activities to do while bored, Jason felt like he was tumbling through nothing. His stomach lurched up to his throat and he closed his eyes to keep from feeling sick. Though, as soon as he did the feeling was gone and he was through to the other side.
He was standing on the sidewalk in front of the place he assumed Irene and Lorenzo were staying in. Approaching the door, Jason knocked a couple times and waited. For a few quiet moments he stood there waiting for someone to come open the door. He didn't wait long to shift the backpack he brought higher onto his shoulder and call out.
"Irene? Enzo?" He started taking a step back to allow for him to look around in the windows even tough they were covered. "Hey, I came to check on you and you know... bring you some things!"
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Post by Nariku The Avaricious on Aug 25, 2023 12:46:11 GMT -5
That morning Dillon had finally gone back to the Pantheon after much urging. Not long after, Enzo went out as well, gathering supplies for the both of them during their extended stay. This left Irene on her own with only time to kill.
So there she was, pacing back and forth in their temporary living quarters, unsure what to do. There wasn’t a whole lot she could do, outside of rummaging through the room like a maniac and absentmindedly expecting her powers to just come back to her. She held her broken key ahead of her, brandishing it like she was trying to open a portal with it. Nothing. No spark of lightning, or any indication of activity.
Just nothing.
Letting out a sigh, she tossed her key into the bin and flopped down on the bed. Maybe it would have been better to have just ignored Zeus’ comments and not fought with him so much, but the guy was insufferable. So much touting about his stupid problems while she learned jack shit from him.
As Irene laid in bed, she soon became aware of a knocking at the door. She quickly sat up, puzzled about who it would be. Cleaning?
“Irene? Enzo?”
Quickly she got up from the bed and walked over to the door, opening it to see the younger ascendent standing outside. “Jason? Oh, hey. Enzo’s not here, he’s shopping. Come on in.” In terms of injury, she seemed alright. A bit banged up but otherwise nothing serious.
She wasn’t entirely sure if he just came on his own accord or if someone sent him but she wasn’t going to complain. She hadn’t gotten to talk to him for a while and it was good to have some check in on the Pantheon.
"So, what brings you out here? Outside of deliveries."
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Post by Nariku The Avaricious on Aug 25, 2023 14:06:59 GMT -5
Irene’s gaze softened when Jason expressed his worry over them. She couldn’t blame him for that, especially after what Dillon told them about what was going on in the Pantheon. People were missing, and without context their situation looked to be the same.
“Sorry for worrying you. And everyone else. Honestly I wish all this happened at a better time, when things weren’t going to complete shit…” Genuinely, the timing was awful, and she couldn’t help but wonder if it was all intentional on Zeus’s part. Did he expect her to beg for him to come back while they all were dealing with a crisis? She could only speculate.
“It was real sweet of ya to come check things out, so thanks”
However, when Jason started asking about why she didn’t come back, her gaze shifted to the floor in discomfort. “It's uh, complicated. That's the simplest way I can put it. Nothing exiled related if you were worried. I am just unable to return to the Pantheon at this time, so I’m stuck here. In Venice.” She wasn’t going to lie to Jason, but she also didn’t want to explain the reasoning for why she was stuck. It was something she had to deal with on her own.
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Post by Nariku The Avaricious on Aug 25, 2023 17:57:26 GMT -5
Irene could tell Jason wasn’t completely satisfied with her answer, but was glad he at least chose to not press it further than that. Losing her guide was her problem and her problem alone, and it didn’t seem right to burden the others with this.
Especially with how much uncertainty there was around it. Who even knew how long this would last for? A week? Month? Hell, there was even a chance she was stuck like this the rest of her life. She didn’t want to think about that possibility but… it was something that could be the case.
Maybe she was just done with the Ascendants, and there was nothing she could do about it.
When he asked about how Venice was, she blinked at the question as the realization dawned on her: They hadn’t actually gone sightseeing since they got there. Figuring out the exiled threat was their first priority, so while they had some downtime, there wasn’t time to actually check things out.
Then the mega bitch came along, Zeus decided to be an ass, and here she was. Sitting in this hotel room and trying to figure stuff out in the meantime. Given the current situation, it wouldn’t hurt to at least use the opportunity.
“I haven’t actually gotten to see most of it,” Irene explained, leaning against the doorframe, “Hell, I’m not going anywhere any time soon, let's just check it out before you have to go back.”
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Post by Nariku The Avaricious on Aug 25, 2023 19:25:35 GMT -5
Jason’s sudden excitement at being able to explore Venice was enough for Irene to smile. With how shit the pantheon was forced to endure, it was easy to forget that many of them were still children. Children that were plucked from their previous lives and given powers by gods, but children nonetheless.
As she was dragged along by the boy, and he started spouting out all the different places, she laughed in amusement. “You sure did your research, can’t say I’ve heard of the Bridge of Sighs. What can you tell me about it? I’m curious.”
If she didn’t know any better, she would have assumed he came just to see the city. She couldn’t blame him for that. Not in her wildest dreams did she expect to visit Venice either, so it was a rare opportunity for the both of them.
Soon the two were walking down the street, and Irene took out her phone to send a text to Enzo if he made it back before she did.
-I’m going to be walking around the city with Jason, letting you know if you get back before we do. See you soon.-
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Post by Nariku The Avaricious on Aug 26, 2023 6:53:19 GMT -5
Irene blinked with amazement when Jason explained the bridge, “1600s? Geez that’s old, I would have never guessed.” And as they continued to walk along, she nodded to every building or place that the boy had an interest in checking out. He had a lot to say, and after all that had happened recently, it was nice to just sit back and let him geek out about Venice history. It took her mind off of her predicament at least.
After walking for a while, Irene paused when she noticed Jason looking a tad unwell, as if he was lightheaded or had trouble seeing. From what she remembered, his powers were like that occasionally. It made her concerned for him, though he seemed capable of pushing whatever was ailing him aside.
“Hey, if you need a break-” she didn’t get to finish her thought when his attention was drawn elsewhere. Irene followed his gaze a distance behind the both of them and saw it as well. A hooded figure. Jackets were not unusual for this time of year, but what was unusual was for someone to have their hood pulled up like that, as if they didn’t want to be recognized. It was suspicious for sure.
She looked down at Jason, who already had some plan of dealing with the situation. For the time she’d let him handle it, as a more subtle approach seemed appropriate.
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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Aug 26, 2023 12:55:15 GMT -5
The ominous presence™ followed behind the two at a steady pace, feet silent and face hidden by a mask they wore underneath the hood as well. The form seemed masculine, at least, standing quite tall, but purposely hunched.
He seemed to be listening to them, but not at all replying. It seemed they were starting to take notice of him (?) and so he ducked his head lower, staring at his feet as he walked. He still kept his gaze on them, and he noticed as the boy elbowed the girl.
His hands tensed within his pockets. He didn't have any obvious weapons on him, but that didn't mean he didn't have them.
Overhead, the skies were darkening, and the area was starting to thin with people. Less and less people filled out the street as thunder rolled overhead, but the figure kept his steady pace.
That was until the rock lifted. The figure, obviously failing at stealth at this moment, tripped over the rock, catching himself rather quickly but stumbling as he did so, a somewhat loud screech of terror escaping him that sounded much too high pitched for him to ever admit to.
His eyes flew up to the two before him, and he quickly resumed walking like nothing ever happened, purposely looking elsewhere as he followed behind them. He even stopped a few times, pretending he wasn't, very obviously, following the two.
Then there was a new clap of thunder, and from the skies rain started to pour. The people remaining on the street, the few there were, seemed to take that as a sign to run indoors or leave the area. Venice was flooded as it was, but that didn't mean people wanted to be stuck out in a storm.
The figure seemed to find that acceptable, they were in a less populated area with little range for witnessing anything, it was then that their hand came from their pocket, the knife glimmering as they pulled it out, making a move to stalk forward.
"Hello again," he commented, voice blending with the thunder.
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Sept 10, 2023 13:25:05 GMT -5
Chapter 13: A Terrible, Awful, No-Good, Very Bad Phone Call
LUCIEN
Note: this fic uses settings and characters from the Percy Jackson series, which is trademarked by Rick Riordan
That blackness in the sky I’d begun to notice back at camp was spreading, beginning to bring darkness earlier than it should. It was staining the sky now like watery ink seeping across a page.
I didn’t like that, to put it bluntly, and neither did any of the others. It spurred us on with even more urgency to get moving and find Athena again. Well, that and the fact that even Luka’s melting of the door would only hold Atticus, Gwen and Ripley for so long and the other demigods Luka had mentioned must have noticed the Gorgoneion was gone by now.
When we got to the Parthenon again, Athena was waiting for us inside, the place still strangely empty. I didn’t understand why it wasn’t bursting with throngs of tourists, but I had to assume Athena had something to do with it.
She stood with her back to us, looking back at the statue of herself. It didn’t look anything like her, I thought. They hadn’t even approached being able to do justice to what she was like in person. Not so much beautiful - though she was - as powerful. She created a feeling about her of dreadful awe.
“Lady Athena,” I broke the silence.
She turned, and once again I was struck by the bright sharpness of those eyes. She looked at us, up and down, for a moment, before she seemed to smile a hint of an approving smile.
“You lived,” she began as if this achievement was more than she’d expected from us, “Good.”
She strode smoothly across the floor to stand before Luka, who slipped the Gorgoneion from around her neck and presented it to Athena.
“You wore my amulet?” she said to Luka, and it was hard to read her tone, which was ever calm. It all to easily might have been one of displeasure.
“We did tell her not to on the way here,” I put in, giving Luka a reproachful look. I knew she was new to this world, but I felt like it was common sense not to just wear a goddess’ jewellery. Still, Luka didn’t seem to have any qualms about pissing off the gods.
“Hey, shut up, maybe?” Luka hissed over to me, before looking back to the goddess, “I just wanted to make sure it was safe.”
Athena did not smile, but she didn’t blast Luka to death either, so that felt like a positive sign.
Instead, she just looked at me.
“I like this one,” she said as she took the Gorgoneion from Luka and slipped it around her own neck, looking contented as she adjusted it to rest perfectly.
“This wasn’t about the amulet,” I ventured, “was it?”
“No,” was her answer, and I for a moment was surprised by the lack of hesitation in admitting this, “only partly. I did need my amulet back, and its return has prevented it from being used to bring Olympus to ruin. But I believe in knowing one’s enemy.”
So Athena hadn’t been truthful when she said he hadn’t known who had taken her amulet. That didn’t sit well with me, she had lied so easily.
“And that was them?” River put in, “Seems like a hell of a way to make introductions.”
“An enemy,” Athena replied evenly, though I could tell our rather casual and familiar method of addressing her would begin to grate on her soon, “not all of them by any means, and not the greatest one you will face if it is as I suspect. I knew demigods must be involved, but I did not know which precisely.”
“You think Olympus is in danger too?” Guinevere piped up, “Why not tell the other gods?”
Athena raised a hand to the Gorgoneion, and something slightly troubled - and troubling - passed across her expression.
“It is unwise, child, to make accusations without proof. That sort of folly is what begins wars between the gods. We have learned through harsh experience the damage that can be done with words. I, at least, do not speak carelessly.”
I suspected that was a reference to the other gods - maybe even more specifically Guiney’s mother - but Athena clarified no further.
River muttered something about his father, and I remembered that Athena had hinted something about having argued with Ares when she told us about the amulet. If that hadn’t been hinting at the kind of accusations Athena claimed to avoid I didn’t know what did. Perhaps she was a little hypocritical - I was starting to think all the gods might be.
“Are the other gods fighting?” Guinevere ventured eventually, obviously having also seen what I had noticed in what Athena did not say.
“Apollo fears the spreading darkness, has seen it as he draws the sun. Artemis sides with her twin, of course. My father refuses to acknowledge the threat, believing to do so would make him weak and because he fears the one we suspect to be the cause. Demeter sides with Zeus, though I know not why.” she began.
Athena may not yet know why, but I did; her own son was one of those plotting Olympus’ fall.
“Hera for once is of one mind with her husband. Aphrodite is always at odds with Artemis and so has favoured her father’s views. Poseidon has defied his brother and supports Apollo; as does Hephaestus, for there is no love lost between him and his mother. Ares ever wishes for war and so has thrown his lot in with Apollo,” the goddess continued, “Only Hermes and I have not chosen sides - apart from Dionysus, predictably. The potential for confrontation between Poseidon and Zeus is concerning, and I’ve never seen the lovers Aphrodite and Ares choose opposing sides; strife between them could become vicious.”
Dionysus not choosing a side made sense; he never seemed to have interest in anything that didn’t affect him directly. Especially Olympian matters, since he was still sulking after Zeus punished him. Plus, he had the camp to run. Athena not choosing a side, at least outright, also made sense. She was too careful for that. But Hermes? That seemed strange. I didn’t see any reason why he might avoid the argument.
My father arguing with Zeus, though? That concerned me more than a little. Especially with the fact that I was leading the quest to find the necklace. Luka and River might be in similar danger.
“We’d better get the necklace quickly, then.” was my reply, “before this devolves into full-scale war.”
Athena looked grim, but nodded.
“You told us you’d tell us where it was if we did this for you,” River said “we held up our end of the deal.”
The goddess looked at him with a sudden flintiness, I thought probably defensive in response to the idea that she might not keep her promise, “And I will hold to mine”.
The silence suddenly deepened, the stately woman before us suddenly holding a magnetic energy. She filled me with terror and awe the way Dionysus did when he feigned to give a glimpse of his true power.
“After the last owner of the necklace perished in that most unfortunate blaze,” the goddess began, “the destruction it caused in mortal possession was too great, even worse in immortal hands. The risk were someone to harness its power would be immense. Dionysus knew the threat it posed intimately.”
Those eyes flashed like bright steel over to Laurie for a moment, who looked away instantly.
“He took it to the only place he could think to hide it; the Alconyian Lake. An entrance to the Underworld lay there, the one he used in his journey seeking his mother. Its waters were famously deep and dangerous, particularly for mortals. So he cast the necklace down into the waters, hoping it would never be found. It would appear its location has once more become known and the necklace’s power an object of desire.”
Laurie had looked back again by this point, the same betrayed anger in his expression as the night Mr D had claimed him.
“He knew where it was this whole time?” Laurie questioned in disbelief.
“Nothing is more hateful to him than that necklace,” Athena’s reply was calm, as if this were perfectly obvious and reasonable even though I didn’t have a clue what she was talking about, “his childish petulance is not the only reason he has refused to take a side among the gods. I believe the idea of its return is too much for him to countenance.”
I wished the notes Cleo had made for me hadn’t been so badly destroyed. I’d know what Dionysus’ beef was with this piece of jewellery.
“Don’t tell me we have to go to the Underworld,” was all I could think to say, because the idea horrified me.
“I do not believe you will,” was her response, “for if it were there I believe it would already be in the hands of our enemy. Avoid the entrance to the Underworld in your search, especially once you have acquired the necklace. You must not play into her hands.”
“The lake must have moved with the gods, right?” River questioned “where is it now?”
“Lake Superior,” replied the goddess “she who never gives up her dead. The perfect place to hide a cursed necklace.”
I did my damndest to not scream at the fact that we’d actually travelled away from our ultimate destination in order to get here. In fact, I’d been closer back home in Chicago only days ago.
No, instead I didn’t lose my cool in front of a goddess.
“Thank you, Lady Athena,” was my answer
“Do not thank me yet, Son of Apollo,” she replied “I hope you know what you are getting yourself into - and your friends.”
“We’re starting to get the picture,” River put in.
“Were you wise, you would return to Camp Half-Blood and begin to prepare for a battle,” Athena continued, “it would be of more use.”
“But would it save Olympus?”
That was Guinevere. Athena looked at her thoughtfully, as if actually seeing her for the first time. It seemed that she was beginning to reconsider her earlier prejudices about Guinevere based on her mother.
“No,” answered the grey-eyed woman, “this quest is the only way Olympus might be saved. But it may equally - in fact, far more likely - seal its destruction.”
I only caught it in a flash, but for a moment her eyes flicked over to Luka. I knew what she was thinking about; the Great Prophecy. It was looking likely that she might be the half-blood referred to in it.
“And it is certainly the only way by which all of you are guaranteed to return safely to camp.”
“Not dying does sound tempting,” Laurie was saying, and part of me did agree with him. The rest of me was saying that we had to go on.
I shook my head determinedly.
“We started this, and we’re finishing it. It’s like I said to Chiron, we can’t fight this prophecy. Besides, I’m not going back until I do what I came here to do.”
“Find your sister?” River challenged “That’s what you actually came out here for, isn’t it?”
I could feel the weight of the accusation there. Could feel how much was unsaid, and I could already sense the beginning of a buildup of tension which would erupt later on.
“Any of you are free to leave if you want to,” I countered, looking at my four friends in turn, “I won’t keep you. But I’m going on.”
Laurie looked hesitant for a moment, but the long silence told me nobody intended to leave.
“Then you all are braver than you are sensible,” Athena said, but there was a warmth in it. As if she, for once, didn’t want a hero to be wise. “Go with my blessing,” she continued “I only hope that I do not come to regret giving it.”
With those words, her eyes seemed to settle for a moment on Luka once again. I didn’t like that at all.
“You won’t,” Guinevere assured her
Athena actually smiled at Guinevere then, which astonished me given the undercurrent of dislike which seemed to run between Athena and Aphrodite.
“You are a most interesting daughter of Aphrodite, Guinevere Sharpe,” the goddess said softly, and with more warmth than she had previously used when speaking to Guiney.
She looked at me once again for the final time.
“I must go now. But, young half-blood, you ought to be careful in seeking the aid of the gods as you go forward in this quest. You know now that not all will be as partial to your cause.”
I nodded, and as Athena stepped back I instinctively followed the others in turning away from the goddess. The only one who didn’t seem to know to do it was Luka, far too new to the ways of the gods. I cried out, grabbing her and spinning her around just in time for a burst of blinding light behind us.
“What the hell was that for?” Luka snapped once the light was gone, pushing me off her so quickly I almost lost my footing. I couldn’t blame her; I must have given her a fright.
I was too busy panting from the way I practically dove to her, so it was River who supplied the answer.
“She was about to show her divine form as she went back to Olympus,” the son of Ares explained as he smoothed his shirt, “if you’d looked at it you would’ve basically been incinerated on the spot.”
She looked at me then, and I flashed her a thumbs up in my breathless way of confirming what River had said.
She murmured a thanks, brushed herself off, and that was that. But we knew, after the discoveries of the day, we needed to talk to Chiron back at camp.
It was time for an Iris message.
“What is that?” Luka asked as we made our way outside, “I heard you talking about it with Dillon once before.”
“It’s only the best messaging service for demigods and gods,” Laurie put in, bumping shoulders with her in a friendly way as he fell into step beside her, “all we need to do is find a rainbow and you’ll see. Iris had video calls down long before mortals did.”
River chuckled from a few steps in front of us as he led the way, “You spent too much time in that Hermes cabin with Echo,”
He spoke of Echo as affectionately as anyone else did, of course. She was a sweet kid and we all loved her. I was glad she was a daughter of Iris and not a more major god, because I would’ve hated the idea of her being in more danger if she were more powerful. Because she wasn’t an especially powerful demigod, she was one of those campers who could go home during the school year, have a childhood and a life. I wanted that for her.
It wasn’t too hard to find a rainbow, even with the creeping darkness beginning to show in the sky. A fountain still caught some sun, refracting the light into those bright colours we were looking for.
I fished out a drachma and threw it into the water, speaking as I did so.
“Oh Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering. Show me Chiron in the Big House at Camp Half-Blood.”
We had an awful lot to tell him.
An image did shimmer to life in the rainbow of Chiron’s office, but it wasn’t the centaur who occupied the seat. A middle-aged man with watery eyes, dark hair and a red nose looked back at us, sighing the moment he caught sight of our faces.
Laurie said nothing, just stood up and walked away out of view of his father and out of earshot of our conversation. His face was just as hard now as it had been cheerful only moments before..
“You haven’t even been gone 48 hours, Luther,” Dionysus began, pretending to ignore both his son’s departure and my reminder that my name was Lucien, “I sincerely hope you don’t intend to give us the pleasure of a daily call.”
River looked over his shoulder as Laurie retreated from the conversation, and I noticed that he got up and went to follow him. I had to assume he’d gone to make sure he was alright, though that didn’t seem like much of an Ares-kid thing to do.
“Why didn’t you tell us you knew where the necklace was?” Luka blurted out accusingly, apparently unable to withhold her frustration even when directed at a god who could incinerate her on the spot if the mood struck him.
Dionysus’ eyes flashed, but he indulged Luka in answering her question.
“Because this mission is a fool’s errand. Pursuing the necklace will only bring the events of the Great Prophecy to pass and invite the destruction of Olympus. I do not want that necklace in the hands of anyone; believe me when I tell you it is capable of terrible things.”
Luka looked at me at the mention of the prophecy, almost as if pointedly reminding me that if I’d told her the prophecy, she’d know what we were talking about right now. I still didn’t want her to know.
Guinevere, though, seemed to pick up on a meaning we hadn’t been paying attention to in what Dionysus had said.
“Why do you seem to know this necklace so personally?” she questioned
She was right; Athena had mentioned it too, something about Dionysus ‘of all people’ knowing about the power of the necklace.
“I left Thebes behind long ago, child,” Dionysus replied, “I have no wish to discuss it, for I care for it not.”
“Athena didn’t seem to think that was the case,” Luka put in.
“Curse that meddlesome sister of mine,” the god sighed, popping open a can as he spoke, “she does have a habit of interfering where she isn’t wanted.”
“What happened with the necklace, Mr D?” I pressed, losing patience now.
“By the gods,” Mr D grumbled as he took a swig of Diet Coke, “don’t they teach you anything these days? I am referring to my mother.”
Everything I’d been taught rushed back. I hadn’t bothered learning much about Dionysus, but the mention of his mother reminded me. He was the only Olympian with a mortal mother.
“Semele,” I realised “she was killed when Hera convinced her to demand Zeus show her his divine form.”
Mr D raised an eyebrow, but replied in his typical sarcastic way, “Congratulations, you got there.”
“But what does that have to do with the necklace?” I didn’t understand the relevance yet. Sure, his mother had died, but Zeus’ mortal flings tended to have a pretty high death rate so Semele was hardly an outlier.
“She was wearing the necklace when she died,” Dionysus answered irritatedly, “she was a princess of Thebes. The necklace destroyed her and generations of Theban royalty after her. I have better things to do than spell all this out for you.”
The necklace had been tied to the royal house of Thebes, that was what we’d been told before the quest and in Cleo’s research. And I’m sure their research would’ve mentioned Semele if I’d gotten a chance to read that far.
“Now,” Mr D stretched in his seat, “I imagine you didn’t call for my company. So if the interrogation is done, I suppose you must tell me what it is you want before my abounding patience runs out.”
Abounding wouldn’t be the word I’d use to describe his patience, but we answered him regardless.
“We spoke with Athena. You’ve got to tell Chiron that the gods’ arguing about the necklace is growing worse than ever, and that there are demigods on the enemy side searching for the necklace.”
Because of his punishment working as camp director, Dionysus only went to Olympus twice a year for the gods’ council, which he maintained was only slightly less tedious than dealing with us children day after day.
“As charming as I find the exhausting pettiness and ceaseless arguing of my family, tell me about these demigods. Who are they?”
“Two we’d never met before,” I answered, “a son of the south wind and a daughter of Nemesis. But the third was Atticus Fell.”
Mr D paused at that name. I’d never seen him look so serious about anything before, apart from maybe the moment he claimed Laurie.
“But he is dead. Unless we have funerals for the fun of it these days,”
“Evidently he‘s alive,” Luka chimed in.
“And I imagine has not forgotten your part in the unfortunate situation with Adelina.”
“Adelaide,” I corrected “and well… I don’t know. I get the feeling he hasn’t.”
Of course he hadn’t. He hadn’t forgotten, and certainly he hadn’t forgiven. That much seemed very obvious to me after our last encounter with him.
Dionysus grumbled thoughtfully, “He complicates things, so you must be vigilant. Do not let him interfere with your quest. And by the gods, do not let him get his hands on that necklace.”
“He implied that he had some sort of spy in camp,” I added, because that worry had stuck in my mind ever since Atticus had mentioned it. Who could it be? Who was feeding Atticus information?
“Impossible,” Dionysus protested almost instinctively, but sighed when he saw I had no intention of giving up the topic until he agreed to check out the issue, “but Chiron and I will look into it.”
He’d better.
But we were fast losing the light, and I knew we didn’t have long left for this Iris message.
“We have to go Mr D,” I told Mr D, “you’ll tell Chiron everything we said?”
The god rolled his eyes almost exaggeratedly, “Yes.”
That was the best I was going to get. Talking to him really was like talking to a sulky teenager, and I was one so I should know.
And with a final instruction from Dionysus that we should ‘try not to die’, I ended the call. In the silence, I was left with the harsh reality that we now had to travel up to Lake Superior and somehow find this necklace. Then we had to figure out how to destroy it, and get back to New York by the solstice.
Maybe Athena was right about us being braver than we were wise. |
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