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When Mia exits one of the vans camp uses to sell their strawberries, she isn’t sure what to expect. All she knows is that Mo sent her a voicemail telling her to bring everyone and meet him here, and didn’t elaborate further. She’d managed to get a hold of him later, but he hadn’t said much more.
She takes a few steps away from the Delphi Strawberry Service van and is met with the sight of Mo, Ygraine at his side as she wags her tail happily. Yuko stands by Mia’s side, and as soon as she spots Mo she flings herself at him and begins chewing him out, just as Mia had on the phone not that long ago.
` ` What were you thinking? ` ` the daughter of Ares demands, pulling back to hold him by his shoulders and check him over for any injuries. His shirt has, for some reason, a few tiny burn holes peppered through it, but there isn’t any more damage than that. Though she supposes she should be used to things like that, considering Mo is a son of Zeus.
` ` Uh…. ` ` he says eloquently, and Mia notices he’s looking at her weird. Scratch that, he’s looking at both of them weird.
` ` What is it? ` ` she asks, and that seems to snap him out of his daze.
` ` What’s what? ` ` he asks.
` ` You’re looking at us weird, ` ` she explains.
` ` It’s… it’s nothing, ` ` he replies unconvincingly, ` ` thanks for coming, everybody. Chiron? ` `
Chiron shakes his head, wheelchair resting by the handicap ramp on one of the vans. ` ` I came to wish you luck, my boy. But I make it a point never to visit Olympus unless I am summoned. ` `
Mo stares at him, completely dumbfounded, before shaking his head. ` ` But you’re our leader. ` `
Chiron smiles patiently, and Mia thinks she’s just as confused as everyone else is. Violetta and Paula stand with the other members of the Aphrodite cabin, and Vincent stands among his siblings, grey eyes sparkling in the afternoon sunlight. He’s got that same glint in his eye that he did when she gave him Daedelus’ laptop, and she’s kind of scared to think of what it might mean.
` ` I am your trainer, your teacher. That is not the same thing as being your leader. I will go gather what allies I can. It may not be too late to convince my brother centaurs. Meanwhile, you called the campers here, Mo. You are the leader. ` `
Mo inhales a deep breath before speaking. ` ` Like I told Mia on the phone, something bad is going to happen tonight, I think it might be a trap. We’ve got to get an audience with Zeus and convince him to help defend the city. ` `
Mia walks up to Argus and asks him to watch Ygraine, since she can’t come to Olympus with them, and he nods his head, albeit begrudgingly.
Just before she’s about to walk back, though, she overhears Chiron speaking to Mo.
` ` You’ll do well, Mo. Just remember your strengths and beware your weaknesses. ` `
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
The ride up to Olympus is quiet, the occasional giggle reverberating through the elevator as people remember the doorman’s face when Yuko had threatened him.
In retrospect, maybe it wasn’t the most efficient way of getting things done, but it worked all the same. They’d had to split into two groups to fit all the campers, so while they wait for the other half Mia silently scans Olympus. It’s as beautiful as ever, of course, but she notices with a slight shiver down her spine that it’s completely and utterly silent.
The second group of campers makes it up, and Mia takes to walking with Violetta, Mo, Yuko, Vincent and Paula in the very front. She knows that this is probably the start of the Great Prophecy, what with Mo having read it not that long ago now.
(She still silently giggles at the mistakes he made while reading it. Eldest dogs?)
She only hopes Mo will look to her to help take some of the burden off of him. She may only be the daughter of Hecate, but she’s still the Oracle and has helped Mo plenty of times in the past on the four quests they’ve been on together, though she doesn’t like to think about the third.
The third was when they met Ben (or Blue, as her brother Onchao, child of Apollo, calls him) and Victoria, and Victoria hadn’t survived long before she’d died. She’d then discovered Ben was a child of Hades, and it was only because of Onchao that he’d agreed to stay at camp during the summer. She’s not sure where he goes during the other nine months of the year, because she knows he doesn’t go to school, considering he was born in the late 1930s, but she assumes it’s somewhere safe because he came back last summer.
He hasn’t come back yet this year, even though it’s already August, but Onchao has let her know he’s staying in the Underworld to sort out some things, whatever that means. She can only hope Ben is okay. After all, he and Onchao are only eleven.
` ` Where exactly did you go, Mo? You look different, ` ` Vincent asks, and the son of Zeus stiffens slightly.
` ` I’ll tell you later, we have more important things to do for now, ` ` he replies as they pass under a statue of Hera and Zeus. Yuko scowls at it, and Mia frowns.
` ` What’s up with the face? ` ` she asks, and Yuko rolls her eyes.
` ` Y’know how Hera really doesn’t like me? ` `
` ` It would be hard not to. ` `
` ` Her sacred animal is the cow, right? ` `
` ` What does a cow have to do with you hating Hera? ` ` Violetta scoffs, and Yuko shoots her a glare.
` ` I’m getting to that in a second. Essentially, she sends her cows after me. They leave little….gifts for me on me and Kuki’s front porch, ` ` she grumbles, crossing her arms.
` ` …are you saying that they leave cow manure around for you to step in? ` ` Paula asks skeptically, leaning over her sister to raise an eyebrow at Yuko.
` ` Unfortunately, yes, ` ` she replies heavily.
` ` Look out! ` ` Lasita, daughter and head councillor of Apollo, calls out from behind them. Simo, son of Demeter and also head councillor and Xolana, only daughter of Dionysus at her sides. Mia and her friends are all sixteen except Mo, and Simo and Lasita are certainly their same age, but they seem to have taken Xolana, who’s only fourteen, under their wing. Shiva, daughter of Terpichore, used to be close with them before she decided to join the Hunters of Artemis.
Mia spins around to see what they’re looking at, and spots little blue comet-like streaks coming at Olympus from all directions, though when they get too close they fizzle out like they were never there in the first place.
` ` They’re like infrared scopes, ` ` Nova, head councillor for Hephaestus, says darkly, dyed magenta hair swinging from where it stops near her waist. ` ` We’re being targeted. ` `
` ` We should get to the palace before something bad happens, ` ` Mia says, increasing their pace. She has a sneaking suspicion on who’s responsible for the little comets, but she isn’t going to voice it just yet.
Her mother has already given her enough trouble, giving her a sister like Panthea.
It only takes them a few more minutes to enter through the palace gates, their footsteps echoing throughout the ridiculously large room. The Ophiotaurus swims around in a small ball of water, letting out a Mooooo! when it sees her.
` ` Hey Bessie, are they treating you alright? ` ` while she only gets another MOOOOOOO! in response, she takes that for a yes and lets her eyes land on the figure in the centre of the room.
` ` Hello again, Mo Valois. You and your friends are welcome here, ` ` Hestia says, now a grown woman instead of a child.
Hestia’s lips curl into a frown. ` ` I see you went through with your plan. You now bear the curse of Achilles. ` `
It’s almost comical, the way their close friends whip their heads around to stare at Mo as the other campers mutter and whisper in confusion.
` ` You must be careful, ` ` the goddess warns, ` ` you gained much on your journey. But you are still blind to the most important truth. Perhaps a glimpse is in order. ` `
Yuko elbows Mo. ` ` The fuck is she talking about? ` `
Then, as soon as Mo makes eye contact with Hestia, his knees immediately buckle. Violetta, though unhappily, catches him by his arms.
` ` Mo? What just happened? ` ` Yuko asks.
` ` Are you alright? ` ` Paula pipes up as Violetta pulls Mo to his feet with a strained look on her face.
` ` Did you guys see that? ` ` he asks, dazed.
` ` See what? ` ` Mia says, knitting her brows in confusion.
` ` Never mind. How long was I out? ` ` he says instead, abandoning his previous question altogether.
` ` Dude. You weren’t out at all. You just looked at Hestia in the eyes and collapsed, ` ` Vincent tells him, hands on his hips as he studies his face for any sign of what the other boy could mean.
Suddenly, instead of Hestia standing at the hearth, it’s Hermes.
He looks worse for the wear, clearly dressed for battle against what Mia has to assume is Typhon.
` ` Lord Hermes, ` ` Paula bows, and the rest of them follow her example.
` ` We need to talk to Zeus. Can we have an audience with him? It’s important, ` ` Yuko asks. Hermes’ eyes remain steely cold.
` ` I am his messenger. May I take a message? ` `
Mia feels the other campers shift uncomfortably behind her, and realises that most of them haven’t had the same amount of face-to-face interactions with gods like they have.
` ` Why don’t you guys do a sweep of the city? ` ` she suggests, looking over her shoulder.
` ` But- ` ` Rhea, head councillor of the Hermes cabin, protests.
` ` That’s a good idea. Rhea, you lead, ` ` Vincent says.
At that, Rhea gives a wicked grin and leads the rest of the campers out of the throne room. Mia can only hope they don’t pillage or rob something in the time it takes to talk to Hermes.
` ` It’s kind of more of an in person thing, ` ` Mo says awkwardly.
` ` My lord, ` ` Paula says. ` ` Kronos is going to attack New York. You must suspect that. Vincent’s mother must have foreseen it. ` `
` ` Your mother, ` ` Hermes grumbles to Vincent. ` ` Don’t get me started on your mother, boy. She’s the reason I’m here at all. Zeus didn’t want any of us to leave the front line. But your mother kept pestering him nonstop, “It’s a trap, it’s a diversion,” blah, blah, blah. She wanted to come back herself, but Zeus was not going to let his number-one strategist leave his side while we’re battling Typhon. And so, naturally, he sent me to talk to you. ` `
` ` But it is a trap! ` ` Vincent insists. ` ` Is Zeus blind? ` ` Thunder rolls through the sky.
` ` I’d watch the comments, boy, ` ` Hermes warns. ` ` Zeus is not blind or deaf. He has not left Olympus completely undefended. ` `
` ` But there are these blue lights – ` `
` ` Yes, yes. I saw them. Some mischief by that insufferable goddess of magic, Hecate, I’d wager, but you may have noticed they aren’t doing any damage. Olympus has strong magical wards. Besides, Aeolus, the king of the winds, has sent his most powerful minions to guard the citadel. No one save the gods can approach Olympus from the air. They would be knocked out of the sky. ` `
At the mention of her mother, Mia’s eye twitches.
Yuko raises her hand. ` ` Um … what about that materializing/teleporting thing you guys do? ` `
` ` That’s a form of air travel, too. Very fast, but the wind gods are faster. No – if Kronos wants Olympus, he’ll have to march through the entire city with his army and take the elevators! Can you see him doing this? ` ` Mia could admit it sounded kind of ridiculous, a whole army of monsters going up the elevator group by small group.
` ` Maybe just a few of you could come back, ` ` Mo suggests
` ` Mo Valois, you don’t understand. Typhon is our greatest enemy. ` `
` ` I thought that was Kronos. ` `
The god’s eyes glow. ` ` No, Mo. In the old days, Olympus was almost overthrown by Typhon. He is husband of Echidna – ` `
` ` Met her at the Arch, ` ` Yuko mutters. ` ` Not nice. ` `
` ` – and the father of all monsters. We can never forget how close he came to destroying us all – how he humiliated us! We were more powerful back in the old days. Now we can expect no help from Poseidon because he’s fighting his own war. Hades sits in his realm and does nothing, and Demeter and Persephone follow his lead. It will take all our remaining power to oppose the storm giant. We can’t divide our forces, nor wait until he gets to New York. We have to battle him now. And we’re making progress. ` `
` ` Progress? ` ` Mia says skeptically. ` ` He nearly destroyed St Louis. ` `
` ` Yes, ` ` Hermes admits. ` ` But he destroyed only half of Kentucky. He’s slowing down. Losing power. ` ` Mia doesn’t want to argue, but it sounds like Hermes is trying to convince himself, not them.
` ` Please, Hermes, ` ` Vincent says. ` ` You said my mother wanted to come. Did she give you any messages for us? ` `
` ` Messages, ` ` Hermes mutters. ` ` “It’ll be a great job,” they told me. “Not much work. Lots of worshippers.” Hmph. Nobody cares what I have to say. It’s always about other people’s messages. ` `
The god looks at Vincent, who’s doing his ‘big pleading grey eyes’ thing. ` ` Bah, ` ` Hermes says. ` `Your mother said to warn you that you are on your own. You must hold Manhattan without the help of the gods. As if I didn’t know that. Why they pay her to be the wisdom goddess, I’m not sure. ` `
` ` Anything else? ` ` Vincent asks.
` ` She said you should try plan twenty-three. She said you would know what that meant. ` ` His face pales. Mia thinks that’s enough to conclude that he does, in fact, know what it means, and does not like it in the slightest.
` ` Go on. ` `
` ` Last thing, ` ` Hermes looks at him with a raised eyebrow. ` ` She said to tell the rest of you to make sure my son stays away from her son. ` `
Mia watches as Vincent’s face goes bright red, and Hermes disappears.
` ` Alessandro? Like, son of Hermes Alessandro? ` ` Violetta asks, raising an eyebrow at him.
` ` Shut up! ` ` he scowls, beet red.
Before she can respond, though, Rhea bursts into the throne room.
` ` You guys need to see this! ` `
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
Mia sprints her way across Olympus to one of the many parks, the rest of the sixty or so campers scattered on one of those binocular viewing things that must look down to New York.
She quickly snatches a vacant one, and, initially, doesn’t see anything wrong.
Until she listens.
New York isn’t supposed to be this silent, she thinks. She, unlike Mo and Yuko, has lived here practically her whole life.
She doesn’t know how the city could be this silent, until she remembers one of the minor gods fighting with Kronos.
(Including her mother, she thinks bitterly.)
` ` Morpheus, ` ` Vincent says, voicing what she’s realised. ` ` He’s put the whole city to sleep. ` `
` ` Why aren’t we asleep then? ` ` Nova asks, frowning.
` ` Because the sleep spell is large, and taking a demigod to sleep takes much more effort than a regular mortal. My guess is that Morpheus didn’t bother putting us to sleep because it would take too much of his energy away from the main sleep spell, ` ` Mia explains, stepping away from the binoculars.
` ` Surely people would notice if everyone in New York was asleep, right? ` ` Simo pipes up.
` ` No, they wouldn’t, ` ` Vincent says, blank face staring into his shield. Mia watches as the shield's vision goes from New York to somewhere else, a highway. Everything there is moving in slow motion. Cars are moving at a snail's pace, seagulls' wings are slowed so much it looks like they’re barely moving. After that, Mia knows exactly what Panthea’s done.
She’s cut off New York from the rest of the world by slowing down time.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
` ` Lasita, you’ll go to the Williamsburg Bridge. Simo, you’ll take the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. Rhea, you’ll take one half of the Hermes cabin to the Manhattan Bridge, and Mia will take the other half to the Brooklyn Bridge. Violetta can take the Aphrodite cabin to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel, and Nova can take the Holland Tunnel.
Yuko, you’ll take Fifty-ninth Street Bridge, and the Athena Cabin can take the Lincoln Tunnel, ` ` Mo says.
` ` Aww, and we came all the way over here for nothing? ` ` a new voice sounds behind them, and Violetta shrieks and launches herself straight at the new figure.
Even though it’s been over a year since she’s last seen Shiva, Mia still recognises her and the new silver circlet she has on her head.
` ` You can join the Aphrodite cabin on the Queens-Midtown Tunnel, ` ` she suggests casually, and Violetta sends her a grateful look. The rest of the Hunters are grouped in the street, sending occasional weird glances towards any of the male campers.
` ` How will we communicate if we’re that far away from each other, though? ` ` Rhea asks, hands on her hips.
It’s Vincent who crouches down to grab the phone out of a sleeping woman’s pocket, snapping it open. ` ` You all know Mia’s personal number, right? You can borrow, ` ` he sends a sharp glare to Rhea, who pouts, ` ` people’s phones so we can communicate if you don’t have time or the drachmas to send an IM. ` `
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
Mia’s been waiting around, setting up defences at the Brooklyn Bridges when Mo comes to get her. He’s riding on Esko, his horse made of wind somehow, and he has Lyria and Ono with him. Lyria, a white pegasi, absolutely refuses to let anyone ride her but Mia, and Ono goes wherever Lyria goes. Yuko’s on Ono’s back, and Mia quickly gets the message that she needs to go.
` ` Alessandro! ` ` she calls over to him, and he spins around to face her. ` ` I’m leaving you in charge, don’t get anyone killed. That includes yourself! ` `
He nods at her, and she wastes no more time getting onto Lyria’s back.
` ` Where are we going? ` ` she asks over the sound of the rushing wind.
` ` The Williamsburg bridge! Lasita called, and they have a whole army marching over it and they need backup. I figured you should be there for Onchao, ` ` Mo explains. Mia feels a knot tighten in her chest, and she sends a grateful look to Mo for considering that.
Technically Mia and Onchao aren’t biologically related, even on the godly side. But Mia’s dad Leo and Onchao’s mom Alessia are married now, so as far as she’s concerned that’s good enough. He’s five years younger than her, at only eleven, and he has the cutest blonde curls and green eyes.
His friend, Ben, is Indian, though his mom grew up in the UK and from what she’s heard moved to America in the late 1920s, only a few years before she had Victoria and Ben.
Mia spots statues walking through the city, and she sees one or two heading to the Brooklyn Bridge. She was there only an hour or two ago when Vincent activated plan twenty-three, and she can only thank her past self for deciding to give him Daedelus’ laptop.
` ` There! ` ` Yuko yells, pointing down towards the grey figure of the Williamsburg Bridge. Sure enough, the Apollo cabin is absolutely swamped by a massive army coming from the other side of the bridge, the minotaur in the lead.
` ` Holy crap, didn’t you already kill that guy like three years ago? How did he regenerate that fast? ` ` Mia asks Mo, who simply shrugs. She watches nervously as they slowly lower themselves down, and the minotaur spots them.
He bellows in outrage, and she feels her eyes widen as he picks up a fucking limo and hefts it over his head.
` ` Duck! ` ` she hears Mo yell, and the limo the minotaur hurls at them misses their heads by a hair's breadth. They guide the Pegasi and Esko down and dismount, sending them back into the sky and asking that they remain within earshot in case they need them for transport.
They meet Lasita a few minutes later, who runs up to them with a wild type of fear in her eyes.
` ` Where are the rest of the reinforcements? ` ` she asks.
` ` It’s just us, ` ` Mo replies, and she goes pale, lips pursing.
` ` Well, if it’s just going to be you guys, you should help as much as you can. Mo and Yuko, you can fight on the front line, hold them off so our archers have time to take them out. Mia, could you help with your magic or join Mo and Yuko on the front line? ` ` Lasita asks, taking in a calming breath.
` ` Of course, ` ` Mia replies, and Yuko and Mo have already started to make their way towards the farther end of the bridge. The bridge is pretty damn long, nearly a mile and a half lengthwise, but she’s run farther than that when she was in danger. If her friends needed help, it wouldn’t take her that long to reach them.
It certainly doesn’t help that cars on the bridge are on fire, and she spots Onchao and a few other healers dragging mortals to safety.
Lasita unleashes an arrow, and it goes screaming down the bridge, landing in the middle of a group of empousa and turning them to dust.
` ` Sonic arrow? ` ` Mia guesses, and the daughter of Apollo gives her a smile.
` ` Gift from dad. Loud music might not be all bad, but in high doses it can kill, ` ` she says. ` ` That was my last one though. ` `
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
Mia spends most of the time using her magic to throw cars and chunks of rubble at monsters. She focuses on an object, clenches her fist, and it cloaks itself in a haze of soft pink as she raises her arm like a professional javelin thrower and chucks it towards the nearest group of monsters she can find.
She blows a strand of her dyed hair out of her face as she watches Mo take on the minotaur, pushing the enemy forces farther down the bridge with terrifying speed. He really did take a dip in the Styx, she thinks as the minotaur lands a blow that would’ve killed anyone else but doesn’t seem to affect him.
She watches as Mo summons lightning to take out dozens of monsters at a time and watches as Yuko fights off the stragglers with the help of both her and the archers. At some point, Onchao joins her behind the car she’s hiding behind, and doesn’t leave.
Finally, sick and tired of waiting, she turns to her little brother.
` ` Onchao, I’m going to the front lines. Stay here, and don’t follow me, ` ` she says sternly, and he nods. She quickly ducks out from the safety of the car, trusting her armour to protect her as she sprints to join her friends. Yuko shoots her a grin as she takes out a drachnae with her spear and Mia pulls out her dagger.
Despite it being from Panthea, she still can’t let it go.
` ` Archers, retreat! ` ` Mo yells over his shoulder, and he must use the winds to carry his voice because they quickly follow his orders.
It feels like hours of slashing through monsters and getting dust all over herself before she finally decides they can’t take this anymore.
` ` Mo, we should making our way backwards! We can’t hold the line this far for much longer! ` ` she cries, and almost thinks he ignores her for a second before she slowly realises he’s giving up ground.
It continues like that, a constant cycle of Mo inching backwards and Mia and Yuko going with him. They trust he has enough intelligence in that brain of his to understand that, even with invulnerability, he’s still susceptible to being tired.
They make it to the middle of the bridge before a kink in their plan occurs: Gargona. Honestly, she was practically Panthea’s servant, sticking to her side at all times no matter what.
It happens like this:
Mo and Yuko are fighting back to back, Mia cutting down enemies with her dagger and her magic and watching her friends out of the corner of her eye. She feels a tingle up her spine, and can’t shake it off no matter what she does or what she kills.
It’s like this creeping feeling that something is going to happen, but she doesn’t know what. All she can see when she tries to concentrate is blood and a sickly sweet smell clouding her nose and making it hard to think straight. She has goosebumps and suddenly feels very, very cold, concentrating from somewhere on her right bicep.
Suddenly, Yuko screams as she takes a knife in the right arm that was very clearly meant for Mo, and Gargona stares in shock before scrambling back as Mo slashes his sword to ward her off. Mia rushes towards them, and the blood pounding in her ears is enough to drown the son of Zeus out as she uses her magic to pick Yuko up and start sprinting towards the other side of the bridge.
As she signals for Lyria, she watches Mo plunge his sword into the bridge and sees it crumble around him.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
Getting back to the Plaza Hotel, where they’ve decided to set up residence, is a blur. She barely even remembers getting off of Lyria or supporting a shivering Yuko as they walk towards the entrance. A statue stands on top of a fountain, but Mia doesn’t recognise who it is.
Her main goal is making sure Yuko survives whatever poison Gargona had on her blade, because this kind of reaction when you get stabbed isn’t normal, and to figure out why her friend took a knife for her other invulnerable friend. (Okay, maybe she admits they’re more than friends, but that’s irrelevant at this point in time.)
The interior of the hotel looks expensive, like royalty expensive and not something Mia or her parents could ever afford. Hell, her Grandpa Renzo back in Italy almost lost his farm last year before camp raised enough money to pay off his loans.
She’s almost hysterical at this point, and someone has to physically pry her off of Yuko so someone from the Apollo cabin can look at her. But, just because she let them take Yuko off her doesn’t mean she’ll let her out of her sight.
She watches as campers mutter and pace and mutter some more until they finally tell her what’s going on.
` ` The blade was definitely poisoned, but we’ll need a more advanced healer to deal with it. If we tried, we would be out for the count for at least a couple of days, ` ` Lasita explains gently, and Mia scrubs at her eyes. She’s leaning against the balcony railing, not taking her eyes off of a barely conscious and now bandaged Yuko sitting in a lounge chair.
` ` A more advanced healer? ` ` she echoes. ` ` Who would that be? ` `
` ` Someone more like Onchao, I’d say. He has a much better healing ability than anyone here, ` ` Saali, another daughter of Apollo, pipes up.
Mia grimaces, the thought of her little brother having to do this to anyone, especially someone he knows, making her feel slightly sick.
` ` Alright. We should send for him. Mo, too, ` ` she says finally. Lasita nods, and Saali scurries off to go find a phone.
` ` And now begins the wait, ` ` Lasita says, heaving herself up to sit on the railing and look over the courtyard with the statue. ` ` I’ll look out for Mo, you can stay by Yuko. ` `
` ` Thanks, Sita, ` ` she says, giving her a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. Her friend doesn’t seem to mind though, instead waving her off to go sit on a lounge chair next to Yuko’s, who’s still pale and shivering and sweating. A smell, sickly sweet and barely there, reaches her nose as she gets closer, veins around the wound already turning a dark colour that shouldn’t be there.
She hopes Mo and Onchao don’t take too long to get here.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
It only takes about ten minutes for Mo to burst out onto the balcony, a somehow even more pale faced Onchao in tow. From what Lasita had explained to her through barely contained giggles, he had apparently driven a motorcycle to get to the Plaza Hotel (at speeds that, according to her, would’ve given his mum a heart attack) and insulted a statue on the way in.
Violetta follows right after him, Paula and Vincent close behind her.
The balcony is a bit crowded now, but it’s a big ass balcony anyways so no one seems to mind.
Onchao grimaces a little bit as he slowly removes the bandages, crinkling his nose as that sickly sweet scent becomes overpowering. She can see the rest of her friends’ eyes watering, and from her blurred vision she knows hers probably are too.
Her little brother intakes a sharp breath as he gets a proper look at the knife wound, and immediately gestures for Rhea to come over.
` ` I’m going to need you to get me these from the mortal pharmacy, ` ` he says as he begins scribbling a list on a notepad.
` ` So we rob it? ` ` Alessandro asks, suddenly appearing near Vincent and making him jump and go bright red in the face.
` ` No, you don’t rob it. Robbing is wrong, ` ` Onchao recites, and Mia grins. She’s taught that kid well. ` ` Pay with whatever you have, and make sure to get as much of it as you can carry. Healing can only do so much if all our healers are already running on empty. ` `
Rhea and Alessandro exchange goofy grins (which makes Vincent go an even deeper shade of red) and high five, scurrying off back into the hotel.
All of Mia’s friends (including a slightly more lucid Yuko) and Onchao give Vincent a look, and he simply buries his face in his hands as he gestures for Onchao to continue whatever he was doing.
` ` Alright then, but we’re going to talk about this later, ` ` Violetta says, shooting an evil smile at Paula. Trust the Aphrodite kids to hold people accountable when it comes to talking to people about who they like.
` ` Alright… ` ` Onchao mutters, and Mo sits beside Mia and anxiously starts picking at the fraying pocket of his jeans.
` ` Are you sure she’s going to be okay? ` ` he whispers, and she smiles at him weakly, sombre once again.
` ` It’s my little brother, Mo. If he can’t do it, no one can, ` ` which is true, Onchao has the best healing ability she’s ever seen, especially since he’s so young.
She takes Yuko’s good hand and Mo places a hand on Yuko’s knee as Onchao begins his work, humming something under his breath as his hair begins to glow softly in the light of a slowly appearing sunset.
` ` Don’t move, ` ` Onchao whispers as the daughter of Ares begins to squirm.
Mia grimaces as Yuko grips her hand so tightly she’s convinced she’s cut off her circulation, letting out a stream of curses as she barely refrains herself from moving.
Finally, after what feels like years, her little brother removes his hand from Yuko’s bicep. He would’ve collapsed to the floor if Mia hadn’t jumped over the lounge chair and caught him.
` ` You, good sir, need a nap, ` ` she says flatly, and Onchao whines from inside her embrace as she picks him up and sets him down on one of the chairs a fair distance away from Yuko, so he doesn’t hear what they’re saying. He’s already out like a light when she puts him down, and she makes her way back over to her friends.
They sit in silence for a couple minutes before Violetta speaks.
` ` It’s all my fault, ` ` the words are laced with guilt and an undertone of something bitter as she wraps her arms around herself and brings her knees to her chest.
` ` You can’t say that, you weren’t even there, Vi, ` ` Paula says, sitting down next to her. Violetta doesn’t answer her, just stares resolutely at the ground.
` ` Maybe you guys should get some rest. Williamsburg may have gotten Kronos but you guys definitely got a lot of monsters too, ` ` Mia suggests gently, and Vincent nods. He quickly shepherds the two Aphrodite girls off the balcony and sends her a look of you got this before heading back inside himself.
By now, Yuko has gained more lucidity and is drinking some nectar from a glass that someone must’ve brought out while Mia was still in hysterics.
` ` You saved me, ` ` Mo says. ` ` You took a knife for me. ` `
` ` I hardly saved you by taking that knife, idiot. You’re literally invulnerable, ` ` Yuko snorts weakly.
` ` Even Achilles had a weak spot. Who knows, that knife might’ve been aiming for his, ` ` Mia shrugs, barely suppressing a shudder as she remembers the tingle that had been running up and down her spine before Yuko got stabbed.
` ` It was, ` ` Mo says plainly, and she nearly chokes on air.
` ` What? ` ` Yuko croaks.
` ` The knife. If you hadn’t stopped it, it would’ve hit my weak spot, and I would’ve died, ` ` he repeats.
` ` Holy shit, ` ` Mia says, and Yuko gapes at him before managing to pull herself together.
` ` So you owe me, what else is new? ` ` she says snarkily.
` ` Haha, very funny, ` ` he deadpans.
` ` Where is your weak spot? ` ` Mia asks, walking closer and plopping herself down beside Mo.
` ` The small of my back, ` ` he replies easily, and she reaches out without thinking before stopping herself.
` ` Can I…? ` ` she trails off, but he seems to get her message as he nods anyway. She moves her hand down his back (absolutely not savouring it at all, thank you very much) until she suddenly hits one point on his lower back that makes him full body shiver.
` ` Huh, ` ` he frowns, and Yuko bursts out laughing, wincing as she does so.
` ` Oh my gods, we’re in the middle of a war and we’re being ridiculous, ` ` she manages through fits of giggles.
` ` Aren’t we always ridiculous on quests, though? ` ` Mia asks.
` ` Is that a prediction or a statement? ` ` Mo asks seriously, and she slaps a hand over her mouth to keep herself from cackling like a godsdamned witch on halloween.
` ` Guys? ` ` Nova asks, peaking her head out onto the balcony. ` ` Phuddle is here. ` `
When they head down to the lobby, Phuddle is chewing on furniture.
` ` Dude. We’re only borrowing this place, you can’t eat the furniture, ` ` Mo says, and Phuddle ducks his head sheepishly.
` ` Sorry, but you know how I get when I’m nervous! Plus, Louis XVI furniture is delicious, ` ` he grins, and Mia grimaces.
` ` We’ll have to take your word for it, ` ` she smiles, and Phuddle gestures for them to sit on the couch beside him.
` ` How’ve you been these past few months? ` ` Mo asks, and the satyr shrugs.
` ` I was asleep for most of it, but I managed to convince some nature spirits and some other satyrs to join the battle against Kronos…or is it Panthea? ` ` he frowns. Mia shrugs.
` ` Anyways, I get what you meant when you said that there were a lot of monsters. I asked Ygraine to stop by the Williamsburg Bridge on my way here and it was completely destroyed, ` ` he exclaims, and she exchanges a shut your godsdamned mouth look with Mo.
` ` Have you come across any? ` ` Mo asks, and Phuddle’s whole demeanor changes.
` ` We lost 20 satyrs against some giants at Fort Washington, almost half my kinsmen. River spirits drowned the giants in the end but….` ` he trails off sadly, and Mia puts a comforting arm around him.
` ` Hey, it’s okay. Their lives won’t be lost in vain, ` ` she says, and Phuddle gives her a sad smile.
` ` Yeah, I hope so, ` ` he replies.
They only manage to talk for a few more minutes before Shiva looks up, looking about as happy as they are.
` ` My Hunters have spotted Hyperion mustering an army on the Jersey Shore, ` ` she reports, ` ` and my best trappers have sealed off the subway entrances in Manhattan. ` `
` ` That’s….not good news, ` ` Mo mutters, tapping an anxious pattern on his leg.
` ` There has to be something good about this report, right? ` ` Mia asks, directing her full attention onto Shiva.
` ` Kronos retreated as soon as the sun set. My Hunters think that he’s still getting used to his mortal shell, and that he has to regenerate Panthea’s body after each fight. We could use that to our advantage to rest and patch ourselves up, ` ` she explains.
` ` I’m sensing more bad news, ` ` Mo says skeptically, narrowing his eyes as Shiva’s face pulls into a grimace.
` ` Typhon’s destroying the Ohio River Valley. He should be at the Appalachian Mountains by midday tomorrow, ` ` she says.
` ` So we’ve got at best two days before he arrives, ` ` Mo guesses, and the lieutenant nods.
` ` That is not good, ` ` Vincent says, appearing with Paula and Vincent as they all sit on various places of the couch that are not meant for sitting.
` ` No, it’s not, ` ` Mia says, pursing her lips.
` ` We are so fucked, dude. Why couldn’t Mo have been born in another generation or something? ` ` he groans, and said son of Zeus in question elbows his shin. Vincent shrieks, but before he can retaliate a small group of campers walks up to them.
Nova, Rhea and Saali all stand in front of them, shifting uncomfortably.
` ` Yes? ` ` Paula asks them, and Rhea takes in a deep breath.
` ` I mean, we were wondering how Kronos knew we would be weakest at Williamsburg. Like, how did he know it was only going to be the Apollo cabin there? ` ` she asks, and Mia watches Mo as his face pulls tight like he just swallowed a lemon.
` ` Because there’s a spy amongst us, ` ` he says, and she watches everyone within earshot stiffen in surprise. He explains about the matching scythe charm, and Mia’s jaw drops.
` ` So, are we going to figure out who they are? ` ` Nova asks, and Mo shakes his head.
` ` No. We can’t afford to be suspicious of one another right now. We’ll just have to hope the spy will reveal themselves eventually, ` ` he says, and Mia can’t help but think, in the corner of her mind she prefers to ignore because it’s where the Oracle has taken up residence, that he’s right.
` ` You guys should get some sleep. You can’t fight, much less lead, while you’re dead on your feet, ` ` Shiva advises, and Mia nods.
` ` Thanks, Shiva. It’s been good to see you, ` ` she says, and receives a smile in return.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
She’s dreaming, that much she knows. The Underworld is cast in that telltale green light that means the Oracle is trying to tell her something. It seems more urgent than usual, like the spirit of Delphi is… anxious. That’s not good.
She sees Ben, black curls spilling down his neck as he pours something into a dirt hole. It’s giving her déjà vu to those happy meals during her quest in the labyrinth. Sure enough, she spots those telltale golden arches on a graveyard of empty cups and boxes.
` ` Let the dead taste again. Let them rise and take this offering. Helen Nila, show yourself! ` ` he chants.
A silvery figure appears out of the smoke, and with a pang Mia recognises the green-tinted face of Victoria.
` ` Vicky? ` ` Ben whispers in confusion, and his sister shakes her head.
Don’t try to summon our mother, Benjamin. She is the one spirit you are forbidden to see, she says, and Ben’s lips pull into a frown.
` ` Why? What is Hades hiding from me? ` ` he asks, and Victoria smiles sadly.
Pain, and a curse, she says, a curse that dates back decades. A curse that goes back to the time the Great Prophecy was given.
` ` What are you even talking about, Vicky? You sound like Mia when she delivers one of her prophecies, ` ` he scowls, and if Mia were tangible she would’ve scowled as well.
The knowledge will only hurt you little brother. Heed my warning and step away while you still can. Remember: holding grudges is a fatal flaw for the children of Hades, she says.
` ` I’m sorry, Vicky. I have to know, ` ` he says sadly, and swipes his hand through the mist.
` ` Helen Nila, speak to me! ` `
The image changes, and instead of a single person it shows a scene. Vicky and Ben chase each other around the lobby of a fancy hotel, weaving in and out of furniture and thick marble columns.
A woman sits on a nearby sofa, clothed in an elegant black dress and long white gloves. She has Ben’s smile (from what little times Mia has seen it) and Vicky’s dark eyes. An oily man in a black pinstripe suit sits across from her in a chair.
Holy crap that’s Hades, she realises in disbelief as he leans towards the woman who must be Helen.
` ` Please, my dear, you must come to the Underworld! I don’t care what Persephone thinks, you’ll be safe there, ` ` he pleads, and Helen shakes her head with a graceful smile on her face.
` ` I will not raise our children in the land of the dead, my love, ` ` she says plainly.
` ` Listen to me, Helen. The war in Europe has turned the rest of the gods against me. A prophecy has been made! Poseidon and Zeus have forced me into an agreement to never have children again. Victoria and Benjamin are not safe here, ` ` he says.
Helen frowns, eyebrows knitting together in confusion.
` ` They are already born, surely he will not- ` ` she starts, but Hades cuts her off.
` ` The prophecy warns of a child who will turn sixteen. Zeus has already decreed that any children I already have must be turned over to Camp Half-Blood for proper training, but we both know what he means. At the very best they’ll be watched, imprisoned and turned against me. More likely though, he will not take any chances. He won’t allow my children to reach sixteen. He’ll find a way to destroy them, and I will not risk that! ` `
` ` Parsakon, ` ` she says, ` ` we will stay together. Zeus is an idiot. ` `
Mia grimaces, because despite the many times she and her friends have insulted the gods, doing it while hiding technically illegal children from them is never a good idea. Especially when it’s Zeus.
Hades glances nervously at the ceiling. ` ` Helen, please. The deadline Zeus gave me for handing over the children has already passed, and I will tell you now that his wrath will be horrible. I cannot hide you forever. As long as you are with Victoria and Benjamin you are also in danger. ` `
Helen smiles again, and Mia almost flinches at the sheer amount it looks like her son’s.
` ` Are you not a god as well, my dear? You can protect us, but I refuse to make my children to the Underworld. ` `
` ` There…might be another option. I know a place in the desert where time stands stagnant. I could send the children there for a while for their own safety, and we could still be together. I will build you a golden palace by the Styx, ` ` Helen laughs lightly.
` ` You are a kind and generous man, my love. If the other gods see you as I do, they would not fear you so. But Victoria and Benjamin need their mother, and they are only children. The gods would not really hurt them. ` `
` ` You do not know my family, ` ` Hades says darkly.
` ` Helen, please. I can’t lose you. ` `
` ` You will not lose me. Wait for me while I get my bag, will you? Watch the children, ` ` she says, rising from the sofa. Hades watches her walk upstairs as if every step she takes pains him. A moment later, he suddenly tenses. Victoria and Ben stop in their tracks.
` ` No! ` ` Hades cries, but even his powers as a god were much too slow. He only has time to put up a black wall of energy around both of the Nila siblings before the entire hotel explodes, the force so violent the entire image dissolves for a moment.
When it comes back into focus, Mia sees Hades kneeling in the ruins, holding the broken and battered figure of what was once Helen Nila.
Fire burns and lightning streaks across the sky, thunder rumbling. Victoria and Ben stare at their mother in incomprehension, and it’s only now Mia realises that at the time, Ben was nine and Victoria was thirteen.
Alecto appears behind them, but the children don’t seem to notice her.
` ` Zeus! ` ` Hades shakes his fist at the sky. ` ` I will crush you for this! I will bring her back! ` `
` ` My lord, you cannot, ` ` Alecto says. ` ` You of all immortals must respect the laws of death. ` `
Mia thinks, for only a moment, that Hades might show his true form and vaporise his children, but he seems to regain control at the last second.
` ` Take them, ` ` he says, and he sounds like he’s about to cry. ` ` Erase their memories in the Lethe and bring them back to the Lotus Hotel. ` `
` ` As you wish, my lord, ` ` Alecto bows. ` ` And the woman’s body? ` `
` ` Take her as well, ` ` he says. ` ` Give her the ancient rites. ` `
The Nilas and Alecto dissolve into shadows, and Hades stands alone in ruin.
` ` I wanted you, ` ` a creepily familiar voice sing-songs. A girl in a multicoloured dress sits on the smouldering remains of a loveseat. She has wild orange curls and sad eyes. Now, Mia wasn’t the best with ages, but the girl probably was a few years younger than Xolana. She looks oddly familiar, for some reason she can’t place.
` ` You dare to come here? ` ` Hades growls. ` ` I should blast you to dust! ` `
` ` You cannot, ` ` the girl says. ` ` The power of Delphi protects me. ` `
Mia realises, in horror, that this was her predecessor. The young version of the mummy that used to give prophecies before her.
` ` You’ve killed the woman I loved! ` ` Hades roars. ` ` Your godsforsaken prophecy brought us to this! ` ` he looms over the girl, but she doesn’t flinch.
` ` Zeus ordained the explosion to destroy the children, ` ` she says calmly, ` ` because you defied his will. I had nothing to do with it. Besides, I did warn you to hide them sooner. ` `
` ` I couldn’t! Helen would not let me! They were innocent. ` `
` ` They’re still your children, Hades, which makes them dangerous. Even if you stow them away in the Lotus Hotel, you will only delay the problem at hand. Victoria and Ben will never be able to rejoin the world, lest they turn sixteen. ` `
` ` Because of your so-called Great Prophecy. And you have forced me into an oath to have no other children. You have left me with nothing! ` `
` ` I foresee the future, ` ` the girl says. ` ` I cannot change it. ` `
Black fire ignites the god’s eyes, and Mia knows that something bad is going to happen. The mummy in the Big House’s attic proved that much.
` ` Then, Oracle, hear the words of Hades, ` ` he growls. ` ` Perhaps I cannot bring back Helen. Nor can I bring you an early death. But your soul is still mortal, and I can curse you. ` `
The girl’s eyes widen. ` ` You would not- ` `
` ` I swear, ` ` Hades begins, ` ` as long as my children remain outcasts, as long as I labour under the curse of your Great Prophecy, the Oracle of Delphi will never have another mortal host. ` `
Mia thinks that he should’ve specified no half-mortal hosts either, but if he had she wouldn’t be the Oracle right now.
` ` You will never rest in peace, and no other will take your place. Your body will wither and die, and still the Oracle’s spirit will be locked inside you. You will speak your bitter prophecies until you crumble to nothing. The Oracle will die with you! ` `
The girl screams, and the misty image blast to shreds. Ben falls to his knees in Persephone’s garden, his face stark white with shock. Standing in front of him is present-day Hades, towering in block robes and scowling down at his son.
` ` And just what, ` ` he asks Ben, ` ` do you think you are doing? ` `
Black mist throws itself over her dream, still backlit by green, and whisks her away back into the waking world.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
` ` Mia! ` ` Vincent whisper-yells at her, and she has the feeling he’s been trying to get her to wake up for a while.
` ` What, is something going on? ` ` she asks, pushing the dream she just had to the wayside.
` ` We have visitors, apparently. A half-blood, an empousa and a guy in a suit, according to the hunters, ` ` he explains. ` ` They’re holding a white flag, so I think Kronos may be trying to strike a deal with us. ` `
She notes how he carefully avoids Panthea’s name, just like she and Paula do.
They had been neighbours before Mia came to camp. She was 7, and the other people on the floor of their apartment were Paula, Vincent and Panthea.
She, Paula and Vincent had clicked immediately, and Panthea had been kind of like an older sister to them.
(` ` Family, Mia. I promise, ` ` Panthea grins, and Paula giggles.)
They don’t really talk about her anymore, not after what she did to Mo after his, hers and Yuko’s first quest. Mo hadn’t told them everything, exactly, but he had said enough.
(She hadn’t talked for two days, but that hardly matters anymore. She’s long since accepted that Panthea was too selfish to think about them when she decided to follow Kronos, and that she’s not going to be coming back to them or changing sides. It’s too late for that now, and Mia would never forgive her, sister or not.)
` ` Who do they want to see? ` ` she asks, and Vincent scowls.
` ` Just Mo and Shiva, apparently. Said they want to speak to our leaders, ` ` he replies.
` ` Which is bullshit, by the way, ` ` Yuko says, bandages stark against her arm as she saunters towards them. ` ` You’re just as much our leader as he is. ` `
Mia lets out a laugh.
` ` Thanks, Yuko. What are you doing out of bed, though? ` ` she asks.
` ` Onchao’s healing works wonders, I feel great. A little bit sore, but I’m fine, ` ` that’s a lie. ` ` And besides, I don’t trust whoever that guy is not to harm Mo, so I was going to spy on them anyway. Wanna join? I can get Paula and Violetta. ` `
` ` Sure. Meet you by the fountain? I think we can hide behind it, ` ` Vincent says, and she nods.
` ` Alright, see you in a bit. ` `
· ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
She can’t hear what they’re saying, and she doesn’t even know who the tall guy in the suit is until Vincent whispers ` ` Prometheus. ` ` in her ear.
She sees Prometheus and her friends talking, until Shiva cries out a too late warning and Prometheus touches his finger to Mo’s forehead. Yuko tenses beside her, ready to leap out of their hiding spot, but after a moment Prometheus steps away and hands him a jar.
` ` What the hell is that? ` ` Mia whispers.
` ` Pandora’s box. A pithos, ` ` Vincent says in awe.
` ` Isn’t it called Pandora’s box? Why is it a pithos? ` ` Yuko asks, and the son of Athena shrugs.
` ` Things get lost in translation all the time, especially when it originally comes from another language. It only takes one scholar for a pithos to become a box, ` ` he says.
` ` Because that makes complete sense, ` ` she grumbles, and Mia laughs.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
She’s dreaming again, which is really inconvenient because she was just in a meeting with all the other cabin councillors, and she probably just passed out while in the middle of speaking. Everything is tinted green, which means it’s an Oracle dream and not a demigod dream.
She’s underwater, if the plant growth (was that a mermaid????) and the terrain is anything to go by.
She sees cyclops’ and underwater warriors fighting off a giant crab as explosions sound in the distance. In the background stands a beautiful (though looking worse for wear) palace made of sweeping columns of coral and marble.
That’s all she sees of the image before it fades into another scene.
Aunty Em’s Garden Gnome Emporium doesn’t look as well as it used to the last time she saw it, what with having no one to maintain it since she, Mo and Yuko killed Medusa. A condemned sign hangs out front, and she can’t take in much more before the Oracle takes her inside.
Panthea Kronos is clearly having a conversation with Gargona, though for the first several moments she can’t hear what they’re saying.
` ` -is invulnerable, Gargona. She would not take a knife for him if she did not believe he was in real danger. Yuko, for all her shortcomings, is not stupid. She would not simply forget that Valois took a dip in the Styx. I will ask you one more time, where, exactly, were you aiming that knife? ` ` Kronos presses, leaning forward in (his, hers???) their chair.
` ` I don’t know, my liege. I wasn’t aiming for any specific spot, I was just trying to hit him, ` ` Gargona replies, her head bowed. Kronos seems to consider this for a moment, tilting their head before heaving a heavy sigh.
` ` All right then, but think about what happened some more, maybe you will uncover where your strike was set to land. For now, be gone with you, ` ` they say dismissively, and Gargona bows quickly before scurrying off like a scared squirrel.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
Mia wakes up and immediately slams her head into Vincent’s shield.
` ` OW! ` ` she yells, and he cringes.
` ` Sorry! I was about to wake you up but- ` ` he starts, and Yuko cuts him off.
` ` Your subconsciousness got to you before he did, ` ` she smiles cheekily, and Mia rolls her eyes.
` ` All right, all right, I get it! Why were you about to wake me up? ` ` she asks, quickly changing the topic.
` ` There’s an army, headed south into Central Park. We figured you should be there while we come up with a plan of attack, ` ` Vincent explains.
` ` And the shitshow begins, ` ` she murmurs as she follows her friends into the dining room where they’ve decided to hold their meetings around a long table.
The other cabin councillors are already at the table, Phuddle fidgeting nervously and looking like he wants to eat the table. She, Vincent and Yuko take their respective places at the table, and Mo smiles at them.
In the end, it turns out that only the Athena cabin and the Hunters have enough people to spare to fight the army heading to Central Park.
` ` Phuddle, are your nature spirits ready? ` ` she asks, and the satyr nods.
` ` My nature spirits and satyrs are ready to fight, ` ` he says, before someone else bursts into the room and sends him jumping a solid few feet in the air, bleating in surprise.
` ` We’ll help too, ` ` Leneus announces.
` ` Lord Leneus? ` ` Mo asks, raising an eyebrow at him.
` ` All those who answer to the Lords of the Wild and are available to help will be in Central Park to fight today, ` ` Leneus says.
` ` Right….. ` ` Mo says blankly.
` ` I believe that ends the meeting, ` ` Mia says quickly. ` ` The Athena cabin and the Hunters will fight at Central Park, and the other cabins and our allies will work on fighting off Kronos’ other forces. ` `
She’s surprised they managed to even organise this meeting in the first place, as Camp Half-Blood isn’t exactly known as a well organised place. But she’ll take what she can get, and she exits the room to find her armour.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
Mia watches what happens from the trees, and even with her ADHD she can barely keep up with what happens. At first, the army just walks through the park, the trees eerily silent, though they don’t seem to notice.
Then, a high, reedy whistle sounds, and the Athena cabin attacks.
The jogging trail alights with Greek fire, and drachnae scream as they crumble into yellow dust. Mia watches as Vincent and his siblings throw grappling hooks at Laistrygonian giants and pull them to the ground, visibly straining at the effort it takes to hold them down. The satyrs help too, using reed pipes to summon vines to help the campers as some dryads use their tree roots to do the same.
She flicks her wrist and grimaces as she uses her magic to lighten the load for the Athena campers and the nature spirits, and she swears she sees Vincent flash her a smile.
Then, right on queue, a volley of silver arrows explodes from the treeline, turning the giants and dozens of other monsters into dust that, from personal experience, will stick to the Athena campers and (maybe) the nature spirits like glue.
Mia glances at Mo, who sits on the tree branch beside her as they wait for the head of the army to appear.
Sure enough, it’s only a short time before a titan in gold armour starts walking across the lake, towards the shore and his forces. (With a cringe, Mia is reminded of when she first found out about the gods and thought her dad had somehow had a child with Jesus).
` ` Holy fuck it’s Hyperion! ` ` an Athena camper yells, and she thinks it might be Vincent but she’s not quite sure. She doesn’t know anyone else in his cabin who speaks like that, but maybe they gained a new sibling during the months of the year she wasn’t around for that she doesn’t know well.
(She’s reminded that Paula and Vincent are year-round campers now, and she can taste bile in her throat.)
` ` Think that’s our queue? ` ` she asks as the nature spirits start throwing rocks and acorns at monsters as the Athena campers begin to cut them down, now free of the weight of holding down the Laistrygonian giants. Mo nods at her, and a sharklike grin spreads across his face for only a fraction of a second before he’s up and moving, already a few feet away from the tree by the time she catches up.
While Mo goes to fight Hyperion, she focuses on helping the Hunters and the Athena campers fight the bulk of the army. Shiva’s Hunters are still periodically unleashing volleys of arrows, and that cuts down some particularly dense patches of monsters so the demigods can move more freely.
She does what she can, using her magic to pick up broken weapons and debris to bludgeon monsters over the head so her friends can have the time they need to destroy them. She also uses her dagger, using melee fighting (which she rarely ever does in the first place, preferring to use her magic from afar to assist) to cut down several drachnae and other various monsters.
(She doesn’t tell anyone about the half-blood she killed, feeling too sick to even think about it, much less voice what she did.)
She whips her head around as something crashes into the shore, and her jaw drops as she spots Mo and Hyperion, the former having his own personal hurricane.
` ` Mo, how are you doing that? ` ` she yells, and watches his face flicker for a moment before he himself notices what he’s doing. Apparently for the first time, too, considering that his expressions changes from anger to confusion to shock.
He doesn’t have much more time to acknowledge it, as Hyperion recovers from whatever Mo had done to him and begins attacking him once again. She herself goes back to doing the only thing she can, and doesn’t even glance back at the son of Zeus until Phuddle calls out to him.
She decides she can afford to look, considering the monsters around them are practically all decimated anyways.
She watches, practically entranced, as Mo guides Hyperion towards the nature spirits as the satyrs begin playing on reed pipes and the dryads and other various nature spirits begin using their magic.
The titan roars as his feet slowly become encased in roots, wood creeping up his whole body until he’s completely immobilised and Mo allows himself to collapse, exhausted.
` ` And you make a lovely maple tree, ` ` Phuddle finishes as the titan’s face becomes encased in bark, many satyrs and dryads falling to the ground in a similar state to Mo.
` ` That, ` ` Vincent declares, coming up behind her and grabbing her hand as he leads them towards the new maple tree, ` ` was the second most badass thing you’ve ever done, Phuddle. ` `
` ` What’s the first? ` ` the satyr asks.
` ` Probably when you convinced that cyclops you were wearing goat scented perfume and narrowly escaped marrying him. Great wedding dress, by the way. It suited you, ` ` he winks, and Phuddle visibly malfunctions for a moment.
` ` Thanks? ` ` he says dumbly, and Mia collapses into a fit of giggles, Mo joining right along with her.
Their moment of peace doesn’t last long, however, as a sudden unearthly SCREEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!! fills the air.
` ` The Clazmonian Sow! ` ` someone cries, and Mia immediately ducks to the floor as a literal pig with wings flies past them.
` ` What the fuck?! ` ` Mo yells, barely managing to make it to his feet as he leans against Hyperion’s maple tree heavily.
` ` Let me guess, Hercules beat it? ` ` Mia asks, and Vincent shakes his head.
` ` No one has ever beaten it, ` ` he replies, and both she and Mo groan.
` ` Suppose I’ll just have to wing it then, ` ` Mo says heavily, already beginning to push himself off of the tree.
` ` You’re not doing shit. If you tried to walk three steps, you’d fall to the floor and pass out. I’m taking care of that thing, ` ` she says, marching up to a grappling hook.
` ` Mia- ` ` Vincent tries, but she shushes him as she concentrates on her target.
` ` Guess those summers at Grandpa Renzo’s farm before camp are gonna come in handy after all, ` ` she says, beginning to swing the grappling hook in the air like a lasso.
` ` You are not serious, ` ` Mo says, jaw agape.
` ` ‘fraid I am, Monkey. Try not to die while I’m gone, will you? ` ` she requests, and then throws the grappling hook at the Sow with all her might, her strike landing true.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
In retrospect, maybe not her smartest idea. Now, in her current situation of flying through the air at mach 5 and trying not to splatter herself on the wall of a building or other important yet very solid building and/or landmark, she wishes she’d let Mo handle the Sow instead.
It’s a bit too late for that though, she thinks as she twists out of the way of another wall. Suddenly, a neigh distracts her out of her thoughts and she decides she can spare a fraction of her attention on figuring out who the sound came from.
` ` Lyria? ` ` she asks, blinking in confusion and yelping when the Sow squeals and her hip slams into a statue. That’s going to leave a bruise.
Mia, you’re going to have to trust me, the pegasus says, and she can feel her jaw drop.
` ` Wha- ` ` she starts, but Lyria cuts her off.
How I am talking to you is not important, but you need to figure out a way to destroy the Sow. I’ll catch you if you fall.
Sure enough, her pegasus is keeping pace with the Sow, though it obviously requires a bit of strain.
` ` Alright, a way to take down the Sow… ` ` she mutters, shimmying a little bit further up the chain. She spots a statue of Hermes and, before she can think better of it, lassos the statue and yanks it off its pedestal.
It only takes a minute or two and a few (a lot) of curses from Mia’s end before she finally spots two twin lion statues, the Hermes statue slowing the Sow down considerably.
` ` Initiate plan twenty-three! Defend the city and kill all flying pigs! ` ` she screeches, and the lions come to life as expected. As soon as their eyes land on the Sow, they lick their chops and the flying pig screeches in horror.
Mia, you have to jump! Lyria yells, and Mia wastes no time before doing just that.
` ` OW! ` ` she shrieks, voice two octaves higher than normal as she watches the battered Hermes statue begin to climb up the chain and whack the Sow with its caduceus.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
She tells Lyria to go where they’re needed most, and amends that when the pegasus tells her they’re needed everywhere. Instead, she tells her to go to the first one of Mia’s friends she finds, and she obliges easily by dropping her near Vincent, who’s fighting a Hyperborean giant with two of his siblings.
` ` Mia, you’re alright! ` ` he calls as he ducks out of the way of one of the giant’s massive fists. ` ` The Sow? ` `
` ` Pork chops! ` ` she yells as she pulls out her dagger and begins slashing at the giant’s legs. She hears him laugh as one of his siblings manages to get the giant in the back of the knee and, instead of crumbling to dust like she thought it would, it turns to ice and begins crumbling.
It’s a close call, but all four of them escape the radius of the ice-fall and go their separate ways to continue fighting.
Her stomach churns as she catches the sight of a fallen half-blood in an orange shirt, but she quickly pushes away the sick and resolves to use her magic to help others as best she can.
` ` Mo, we have to fall back! ` ` she hears Paula call from somewhere across the battlefield. ` ` We can’t hold the line! ` `
She can hear Mo growl in frustration.
` ` Retreat back to the doors! We can’t let them get inside! ` ` and Mia is more than happy to oblige with his orders. It’s eerily similar to the Williamsburg bridge, the way they slowly give up ground until they’re only a half block radius around the empire state building.
For a moment, she’s sure they’re going to lose.
Then, Chiron shows up.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
` ` How the hell did you even get past the barrier Kronos made? ` ` Mo demands their teacher as soon as the battle ends.
` ` Me and my brethren move very fast, Mo. It only makes sense we would be able to bypass Kronos’ time spell, ` ` Chiron says, lips pulling into a thin line.
` ` Nice look, teach, ` ` Vincent says, and the centaur blanches for a moment.
` ` Ah….I suppose so, ` ` he says skeptically, and it takes everything in her not to laugh. Especially when Paula and Violetta show up.
` ` Woah! ` ` Violetta exclaims. ` ` Who dressed you up? ` `
` ` Why? ` ` Chiron asks warily.
` ` So I can make sure to never visit them, ` ` Paula deadpans, and that’s her breaking point. She falls to the floor cackling as Yuko pats her on the back, Vincent following her not a second too late.
` ` Are you going to keep laughing at me or are you going to listen to what I have to say? ` ` Chiron asks, and Mia wipes her tears away before composing herself and rising to her feet.
` ` Sorry, Chiron. It’s just your new look is a little bit….different, ` ` she grins. It’s true, because a hideous hawaiian shirt, rainbow arm warmers on his horse feet, a pair of glasses made out of a bendy straw and various other bright memorabilia aren’t typical Chiron fashion.
` ` Right, ` ` he mutters, pinching the bridge of his nose.
` ` Anyways, ` ` Mo intervenes, shooting her a dirty look she sticks her tongue out at, ` ` you had something to say? ` `
` ` The Party Ponies and our half-bloods are setting up a two-block perimeter around the empire state building, ` ` Chiron begins. ` ` And Typhon will be here by this time tomorrow. ` `
It hits her like a physical blow, and she glances at the noon sun to double check she’s not in the twilight zone before turning to face her teacher again.
` ` What? ` ` Yuko asks, bad arm in a sling. Mia assumes one of the Apollo campers must’ve wrestled her into it after the battle, though if she knows the daughter of Ares likes she thinks she does, Yuko’ll take it right off the next time she has to fight.
One second she’s in New York, and the next she’s not.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
Mia’s standing in a long dingy bar with black walls, neon signs and a bunch of…partying adults? A banner across the bar read, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BOBBY EARL. Country music plays on the speakers. Big guys in jeans and work shirts crowd the bar. Waitresses carry drinks and shout at each other. It was pretty much exactly the kind of place Mia’s parents would never let her go, if she was being honest. She’s stuck at the very back of the room next to the bathrooms (which, she had to admit as she wrinkled her nose in disgust, didn’t smell so great) and a couple of antique arcade games.
` ` Oh good, you’re here, ` ` says the man at the Pac-Man machine, like he’s been expecting her. ` ` I’ll have a Diet Coke. ` `
The man’s pudgy, dressed in a leopard-skin Hawaiian shirt, purple shorts, red running shoes and black socks. Safe to say, he doesn’t blend in with the rest of the crowd. His nose is a bright red, and a bandage is wrapped around his curly black hair like he’s recovering from a concussion. Mia blinks for a few seconds, buffering.
` ` Mr D? ` `
He sighs, not taking his eyes off of the game. ` ` Really, Maria Macaroni, how long will it take for you to recognise me on sight? ` `
` ` Same amount of time it’ll take for you to figure out my actual name, ` ` Mia mutters. ` ` Where are we, anyways? ` `
` ` Why, Bobby Earl’s birthday party, ` ` Dionysus replies. ` ` Somewhere in lovely rural America. ` `
` ` I thought Typhon swatted you out of the sky, ` ` she says, not quite knowing how she knows that. Probably the Oracle. ` ` You crash-landed. ` `
` ` Your concern is very touching. I did crash-land. Very painfully. In fact, part of me is still buried under fifty feet of rubble in an abandoned coalmine. It will be several more hours before I have enough strength to mend. But, in the meantime, part of my consciousness is here. ` `
` ` At a bar. Playing Pac-Man. ` `
` ` Party time, ` ` Dionysus shrugs. ` ` Surely you’ve heard of it. Wherever there is a party, my presence is invoked. Because of this, I can exist in many different places at once. The only problem was finding a party. I don’t know if you’re aware how serious things are outside your safe little bubble of New York – ` `
` ` Safe little bubble? ` ` Mia practically growls, though he takes no notice.
` ` – but, believe me, the mortals out here in the heartland are panicking. Typhon has terrified them, and as a result very few are throwing parties. Apparently, Bobby Earl and his friends, bless them, are a little slow. They haven’t yet figured out that the world is ending. ` `
` ` So…` ` she drawls, ` ` I’m not really here? ` `
` ` No. In a moment, I’ll send you back to your normal insignificant life and it will be as if nothing had happened. ` `
` ` Why did you bring me here? ` ` she asks impatiently.
Dionysus snorts. ` ` Oh, I didn’t want you particularly. Any of you silly heroes would do. That Yasmine girl – ` `
` ` Yuko. ` `
` ` The point is, ` ` he says, ` ` I pulled you into party time to deliver a warning. We are in danger. ` `
` ` Gee, ` ` Mia deadpans. ` ` Never would’ve figured that out. Thanks. ` `
He glares at her momentarily and seems to forget his game. Pac-Man gets eaten by the red ghost dude.
` ` Erre es korakas, Blinky! ` ` Dionysus curses. ` ` I will have your soul! ` `
` ` He’s a video-game character, ` ` she points out.
` ` That’s no excuse! And you’re ruining my game, Minyard! ` `
` ` Marconi. ` `
` ` Whichever! Now listen, the situation is graver than you imagine. If Olympus falls, not only will the gods fade, but everything that is connected to our legacy will also begin to unravel. The very fabric of your puny little civilisation – ` `
The game plays a song and Mr D progressed to level 254. ` ` Ha! ` ` he shouts. ` ` Take that, you pixelated fiends! ` `
` ` Fabric of civilisation, ` ` Mia prompts.
` ` Yes, yes. Your entire society will dissolve. Perhaps not right away but, mark my words, the chaos of the Titans will mean the end of Western civilisation. Art, law, wine tastings, music, video games, silk shirts, black-velvet paintings – all the things that make life worth living will disappear! ` `
` ` So why aren’t the gods rushing back to help us? ` ` she asks. ` ` We should combine forces at Olympus. Forget Typhon. ` `
He snaps his fingers impatiently. ` ` You forgot my Diet Coke. ` `
` ` Gods, you’re annoying, ` ` she mutters, but gets the attention of a waitress and orders the soda anyway. She decides to put it on Bobby Earl’s tab. Mr takes a good, long drink, his eyes never leaving the video game. It’s kind of unsettling, if she’s being honest.
` ` The truth is, Macy – ` `
` ` Mia. ` `
` ` – the other gods would never admit this, but we actually need you mortals to rescue Olympus. You see, we are the manifestations of your culture. If you don’t care enough to save Olympus yourselves – ` `
` ` Like Pan, ` ` she says, ` ` depending on the satyrs to save the wild. ` `
` ` Yes, quite. I will deny I ever said this, of course, but the gods need heroes. They always have, otherwise we would not keep you annoying little brats around. ` `
` ` I feel so wanted. ` `
` ` Use the training I have given you at camp. ` `
` ` What training? ` `
` ` You know. All those hero techniques and – No! ` ` Mr D slaps the game console. ` ` Na pari i eyechi! The last level! ` ` He looks at Mia and purple fire flickers in his eyes. ` ` As I recall, I once predicted you and your friends would turn out to be as selfish as all the other human heroes. Well, here is your chance to prove me wrong. ` `
` ` Yeah, because making you proud is real high on my to-do list. Totally not fighting a war or anything. ` `
` ` You must save Olympus, Millie! Leave Typhon to the Olympians and save our seats of power. It must be done! ` `
` ` Great. Nice little chat. Now, if you don’t mind, my friends will be– ` `
` ` There is more, ` ` Mr D warns, and Mia internally groans. ` ` Kronos has not yet attained full power. The body of the mortal was only a temporary measure. ` `
Something in her chest twists viciously, scraping and scratching and fighting its way to get out of the cage she put it in. She doesn’t like Panthea being referred to like that, even if she’d betrayed her long ago.
` ` We kind of guessed that. ` `
` ` And did you also guess that within a day at most, Kronos will burn away that mortal body and take on the true form of a Titan king? ` `
` ` And that would mean… ` ` she prompts.
Dionysus inserts another coin. ` ` You know about the true forms of the gods. ` `
` ` Yeah, you can’t look at them without literally burning to a crisp. ` `
` ` Kronos would be ten times more powerful. His very presence would incinerate you. And, once he achieves this, he will empower the other Titans. They are weak now, compared to what they will soon become unless you can stop them. The world will fall, the gods will die and I will never achieve a perfect score on this stupid machine. ` `
In another reality, maybe she would’ve been terrified out of her mind. Now, though? She thinks she’s well surpassed the limit to her ‘scared’ meter.
` ` Can I go now? ` ` she asks
` ` One last thing. My daughter, Xolana. Is she alive? ` `
Mia blanches. ` ` Yeah, last I saw her. ` `
` ` I would very much appreciate it if you could keep her that way. ` `
She’s trying very hard to wrap her head around the whole ‘Mr D is actually kind of a caring father’ thing, and finds she fails. ` ` I’ll do my best. ` `
` ` Your best, ` ` Mr D mutters. ` ` Well, isn’t that reassuring. Go now. I expect you already know of the nasty surprises that come ahead, and I must defeat Blinky! ` `
She doesn’t have time to respond before the bar disappears.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
It’s only an hour or two later, when they’re walking around New York to survey the damage, that Mo completely freezes where he stands. Yuko, Violetta, Paula and Vincent are with them, Chiron standing not too far away.
` ` Mo, what is it? ` ` Violetta asks.
` ` Mom, Dad? ` ` he whispers, voice cracking as he runs over to a heart-sinkingly familiar red prius. In the front seats are Mayla and Raynor, slumped over the dashboard. In the back? Pandora’s Jar sits proudly, buckled into its seat like Mo’s parents had placed it there on purpose.
` ` Whatever is– ` ` Chiron starts, then stops. He’s still dressed in his Party Pony attire, though his face is sombre as he stares at the car.
` ` What do we do? What do I do? ` ` Mo asks her, and her brain suddenly goes hopelessly blank.
` ` We could put their car in neutral and push it to the side? ` ` Paula suggests, and Mia nods.
It’s quite work, barely taking five minutes with Chiron’s help, but by the end of it Mo looks wrecked.
She feels extremely bad for what she’s about to do, but if she keeps it in any longer the Oracle might possess her and that would arguably be worse.
` ` Hey, Mo? ` ` she asks, voice cracking slightly.
` ` Hmm? ` ` he hums in response, turning to face her.
` ` You’re not the hero. It will affect what you do, ` ` she blurts, and she feels everyone around her freeze.
` ` Pardon? ` ` he asks.
` ` The Oracle says you’re not the hero, and that it’ll affect what you do when the time comes, ` ` she says quickly.
` ` Isn’t this whole prophecy about me? ` ` he asks, raising his eyebrow, and Mia simply shrugs.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
Mia dreams, once again of Aunty Em’s Garden Gnome Emporium, and the forces tucked inside. Panthea Kronos sits on a makeshift throne, fidgeting boredly will a broken piece of stone she can only hope isn’t a person.
` ` The forces? ` ` they ask boredly.
` ` D-decimated, my liege, ` ` Gargona whispers.
` ` Send in the surprise, then. We need to make sure they stay unsteady on their feet for a long enough amount of time that we can access Olympus without them getting in the way, ` ` they say curtly, before dismissing Gargona and, with her, Mia.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
` ` A trick that could end in death? ` ` Yuko repeats, surprised. Mia nods.
` ` That can’t be good, ` ` Mo murmurs.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
` ` Ygraine, back! ` ` Mo yells, and the hellhound whines in response. ` ` It’s not safe for you here, girl, you’re hurt. Please! ` `
Ygraine seems to consider this for a moment, before she melts into the shadows.
Mia uses her magic to whack the drakon with another piece of rubble, but it doesn’t seem to do much more than annoy it. Scattered around the drakon are the rest of her friends, as the rest of their forces are defending the empire state building from the rest of Panthea’s Kronos’ forces.
` ` Mia, ` ` Violetta says suddenly, appearing at her side.
` ` Yes? ` ` she asks distractedly, launching a piece of rebar at the drakon.
` ` I need to tell you something. About the spy, ` ` the daughter of Aphrodite says, and Mia pauses.
` ` What about the spy, Violetta? ` `
` ` I know who it is. ` `
` ` What? ` ` she whispers, voice cracking as she looks to find the guilty expression on her friend’s face. ` ` How long have you known? ` `
` ` The whole time they’ve been a spy, ` ` Violetta admits.
` ` How? ` `
` ` Because I’m the spy, ` ` she replies, pushing back her sleeve to reveal a silver charm bracelet. A silver charm bracelet with a scythe on it.
Before Mia can say anything else, the other’s shouts of alarms pierce her ears.
And she turns just in time to see Violetta use herself as a shield to save Mia from the drakon’s spit.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
` ` VIOLETTA! ` ` she screams, dropping to her knees beside her as the others try their best to get the drakon’s attention off of them. She’s still reeling, both from the realisation that Violetta had been the spy and the fact that she had felt the need to protect Mia with herself from the drakon’s spit.
` ` Mia, ` ` she whispers, and Mia feels like she could sob with relief. ` ` Need….to say….something. Need to….explain. ` `
` ` Save your breath, please, ` ` she begs, but Violetta shakes her head.
` ` Liked Panthea….at first. After….she betrayed…..Mo, I….wanted….to stop….but she….threatened….Dad. I couldn’t…..let someone else….suffer because of my…..mistakes, ` ` she gasps out.
` ` It’s not your fault, ` ` she whispers, brushing Violetta’s deep purple hair off of her forehead. They’d dyed their hair together, Mia’s a bright pink and Violetta’s that deep, deep shade of purple. ` ` You would’ve stopped if you could. You only did what you had to to make sure your father lived. ` `
` ` Thank….you…. ` ` Violetta whispers, before her eyes flutter shut. Mia screams, and without her even realising it Shiva’s come up beside her.
` ` Violetta! ` ` the Hunter cries.
` ` Shiva, ` ` Mia whispers hoarsely, scrubbing her eyes furiously. ` ` I need you to do something for me. For Violetta. ` `
` ` Anything, ` ` Shiva whispers back.
` ` Get her back to the Plaza Hotel. Ask for Lasita, Onchao, anyone you can find. Can you do that for me? ` ` she asks, and the Lieutenant nods. She slips Violetta’s head out of her lap and Shiva picks her up in a fireman's carry and sprints in the opposite direction.
Now that Violetta’s fate is out of her hands, Mia turns her full attention to the drakon with one goal in mind.
She’s going to make this fucker pay.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
` ` Mo! ` ` she calls, and he looks at her in relief as she uses magic to send his sword straight back into his hand. Yuko’s spear is still intact, and Vincent’s bow and arrow have already left their mark if the arrows buried under the scales are anything to go by. Paula, unorthodox as she is, spins her hammer around in a circle, murder in her eyes.
Their attacks are relentless, and the drakon doesn’t get a break. As soon as someone goes down, another is there to take their place until they get back up.
` ` How do we kill it? This thing’s indestructible, and my bow can only do so much without any arrows! ` ` Vincent yells.
` ` Its scales are indestructible, ` ` Mo corrects.
` ` So we aim for the eyes? ` ` Yuko asks, and he nods.
` ` Exactly! I think your spear would work, if you- ` ` he starts, but Paula cuts him off.
` ` That thing hurt my sister! I’ll be damned if I let someone else kill it, ` ` she yells, and Yuko nods. In barely a moment, she’s next to the daughter of Aphrodite and handing her her spear as she takes Paula’s hammer.
` ` We’ll distract it while you get a good shot! ` ` she yells, and then she’s back into the fray with the three of them. Mia uses her magic best she can to chuck things at it, distracting it so Yuko and Mo can get up close to slash at it and Vincent shoots quickly and with precision.
What feels like hours but what must be only minutes pass before Yuko’s spear pierces straight through the drakon’s eye, and it collapses to the floor.
Dead.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
The walk to the empire state building is quiet, though not without its own undercurrent of rage. Yuko had retrieved her spear from her drakon’s corpse (it had quickly crumbled after that, leaving behind nothing but a large scale Paula had quickly stuffed into her pocket) and now twirls it in her hand in agitation.
` ` We can’t blame her for what she did. They would’ve killed her father if she didn’t, ` ` Mia reminds her gently, and the daughter of Ares huffs out a laugh in response.
` ` I know that. I’m not pissed at Violetta, I’m pissed at Panthea, ` ` she says flatly, and Mia winces. She knows Vincent and Paula probably do too.
` ` We’re going to need help if we intend to win this war, ` ` Vincent says nervously, stepping over a broken flagpole as they enter the empire state building. To their surprise, Phuddle is already there, leaning over a small laurel tree sapling.
` ` Phuddle? ` ` Mia asks, coming up to him and putting a gentle hand on his shoulder. ` ` Who’s that? ` `
` ` Leneus, ` ` he whispers, and she hears a small gasp come from behind her.
` ` Oh, Phuddle….` ` she says, but he shakes her off.
` ` I’m fine, but we need to get Leneus planted on Olympus before his sapling dies, ` ` the satyr says roughly, and Mia nods.
` ` We were headed there anyway, you can ride with us, ` ` she says, grabbing his hand.
` ` I think I’d like that. ` `
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
The elevator ride is silent, but Olympus is buzzing with activity when they cross the bridge. The Apollo campers have made a makeshift healer's tent, and she feels slightly sick at the sight of what must be a dozen burial shrouds covering shapeless figures.
Phuddle goes to show the other injured satyrs Leneus, while Mia makes to find Xolana. She finds her not too long after, sitting in the shade of a large oak tree with her arm in a cast and sling.
` ` I can still fight, ` ` the girl says before Mia even says anything.
` ` No, you can’t, ` ` she says.
` ` Yes, I can. ` `
` ` No. You’ll stay up here and help with the wounded. It’s a personal favour, ` ` she orders, and Xolana nods begrudgingly.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
She sends Ygraine off with a mission soon after, and can only help the hellhound delivers by their deadline of only a few hours.
It’s early morning, and they don’t even have six hours until midday.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
A few hours earlier
` ` Are you sure this is a good idea? ` ` Vincent asks her. She shakes her head no.
` ` It’s the only chance we have, Vince. If we don’t do this, if we don’t manage to convince Poseidon to join the other Olympians against Typhon, Kronos will win. Panthea will win, ` ` she says. Her friend’s face remains a confusing swirl of emotions, but he nods.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
` ` Lord Poseidon, ` ` she bows, and she knows Vincent follows her example.
` ` Why have you summoned me, child? I have a war to fight, ` ` the god of the seas says, mildly annoyed.
` ` Because we’ve come to request something of you, ` ` Vincent says, standing back up but not looking Poseidon in the eye.
` ` Oh? And what would that be? ` ` he asks.
` ` To fight with the other Olympians against Typhon, ` ` she says.
` ` And why would I do that when I am fighting my own war? ` `
` ` Because if you don’t, Olympus will fall and you will not have anything, not even yourself. Tell me this, Poseidon, what’s worth more? Your very presence and Olympus itself or your underwater palace that can be rebuilt? ` ` she asks.
` ` The deity’s you fight are ones Kronos sent to distract you from Typhon precisely so the Olympians would lose against him. If you fall for it, Kronos wins, ` ` Vincent finishes quickly. Maybe doing this on the shore was a bad idea. Possibly a very, very bad idea if the rumbling sound the sea makes is any indication of Poseidon’s thoughts.
` ` Fine. ` `
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
When they head back outside after leaving Olympus, Kronos is already there.
And, standing in his way, is Chiron, bow drawn and arrow knocked pointing directly at the thing that wears her sister’s face.
` ` Stand down, son, ` ` Kronos says, eyes gold and voice so unlike Panthea’s that it makes her chest ache. Chiron doesn’t respond, simply keeping his bow drawn.
Finally, after what seems like hours of being frozen in place like a statue, a drachnae gets tired of waiting and charges straight at their teacher. Chiron quickly diverts his arrow and shoots it in the face, yellow dust coating the pavement as he sheathes his bow and reaches for his sword instead.
That’s when she knows it’s bad, because Chiron hates fighting with a sword. With a heaving sigh, Kronos takes one singular step forward.
And throws Chiron straight into a nearby wall, the brick crumbling down to land on top of him and cover him in debris.
` ` Chiron! ` ` Paula yells, sprinting towards their trainer, Phuddle and Vincent close behind her.
Mia clenches her jaw, looking at but avoiding making eye contact with Kronos.
` ` Such a bother, really. You’re just wasting your time by standing in my way, ` ` they say, and she hears Mo suck in a sharp breath.
` ` So our time would be better managed by letting you take over Olympus? ` ` Yuko spits.
` ` Not exactly, no, ` ` Kronos muses. Mia raises an eyebrow, slightly confused. This guy needs to make up his goddamn mind on if he wants them to fight his army or not. She’s also getting increasingly unsure on whether or not Ygraine is going to show up with what Mia asked her for.
` ` What the hell are you even talking about, dude? ` ` she asks. Kronos blinks, seemingly confused before their expression blanks out again.
` ` I wouldn’t expect a half-blood to understand the intricacies of war, ` ` they reply, and she scowls. They say the word ‘half-blood’ like it’s something that they should be ashamed of. And, in any case, they as half-bloods would know more about war considering the amount of times they’ve had to fight the gods’ wars for them.
Suddenly, monsters start parting down the middle, avoiding a long stretch of road like it’s diseased. Mia can feel hope lifting in her chest.
The asphalt cracks down the middle, skeletal figure crawling their way out of the Underworld like their undead lives depend on it. Which, if who Mia thinks is coming summoned them, it probably does.
Kronos spins around, but not before she catches a glimpse of golden fire in their eyes.
` ` What is the meaning of this? ` ` they roar, and monsters cower and curl in on themselves in fright.
` ` Just because I was a little late to the party doesn’t mean I can’t dance, father, ` ` the Lord of the Underworld replies as his chariot appears at the end of the road. Persephone and Demeter ride with him, and Ygraine appears with Ben beside them.
The hellhound did do what she asked, thank the gods.
` ` I do not have time for this, ` ` she hears Kronos mutter as Hades and his allies jump into battle, kickstarting the chaos as the campers join in. With a sudden wave of their hand, the faint golden dome that had been surrounding New York for the last couple of days shrinks until it only surrounds Kronos, Mia and her friends, and the empire state building.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
Mia’s heart drops as mortals around them begin returning to consciousness before screaming at the sight of the army in front of them. She pulls out her dagger, and Yuko and Mo quickly follow with their spear and sword. She watches the son of Zeus’ eyes ping over to his parents before skittering back to Kronos.
` ` We can’t stay in this circle. We have to fight, ` ` Mia whispers.
` ` But we can’t let Kronos get to Olympus! ` ` Yuko argues back.
` ` Have you seen what he did to Chiron? The only reason he’s still alive is because he’s immortal, and unless something happened over the last nine months that I don’t know about other than Mo’s dip in the Styx, we aren’t. We should focus on doing what we can, not what we can’t, and right now that means protecting the mortals, ` ` Mia replies.
Yuko lets out a breath. ` ` Fine. ` `
With a single glance back at them, the daughter of Ares charges into battle, Mia and Mo hot on her heels. Their half-blood forces are scattered throughout, though the majority of the fighting on their side comes from Hades and his army. She spots Onchao and Ben fighting side by side, the son of Hades with his sword and Onchao with a spear she’s never seen before.
` ` Mom? ` ` Mo yells in surprise, and Mia spins around in the middle of cutting down a drachnae (bad idea, and she gets a tail to the ribs for her trouble) to find Mayla and Raynor. Fighting monsters. What the hell.
Raynor has some frankly impressive swordwork, and Mayla has…an umbrella in her hands?
` ` You need to get to Olympus! ` ` Mo’s mother cries.
` ` But you- ` ` Mo starts.
` ` Go! ` ` she yells, and fires what Mia now realises is a freaking shotgun straight in the face of a Lastrogyian giant.
` ` Holy crap, Mo. Your mom is scary as hell, ` ` Yuko puffs as they sprint through the sleeping spell and into the empire state building. Vincent, Paula and Phuddle join them as they sprint through the metal detectors and then straight into the elevator to head up to Olympus.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
Listening to Stayin’ Alive while on the way up to fight a titan trying to destroy the world isn’t exactly what Mia would say is the vibe. However, it’s not like she can ask Vincent to hack into the sound system and change the playlist or something.
Unless…
The elevator dings, and they exit out onto Olympus to find it crumbling down around them.
` ` The bridge! ` ` Paula cries, and Mia notices that it’s falling apart. If they want to make it to the palace before Kronos destroys Olympus, they’re going to have to run and then jump.
` ` Oh, why did I decide it was a good idea to become friends with you, ` ` Vincent mutters as they break out into a sprint. He yelps as they cross the gap and he loses his balance, feet scrabbling for purchase before Mia yanks him onto the platform.
` ` No clue, but you’re stuck with us now, ` ` she grins, and he rolls his eyes playfully.
` ` Come on, slowpokes! ` ` Yuko yells, running towards the palace at a pace that would make a mortal balk. Statues fall from pedestals, and debris litter the pathways and buildings. A coating of dust lays thick on everything, and Mia coughs any time she dislodges a bit too much and it reaches her mouth.
` ` Yuko! ` ` Paula calls worriedly. ` ` Watch out! Something could fall on you if you’re not careful! ` `
` ` Relax, Pauls. I’ll be– ` `
` ` YUKO! Watch out! ` ` Vincent cries, and Yuko skitters to a stop as a statue of a scowling Hera comes flying at her from above.
Phuddle screams as Paula sprints forward and lunges at Yuko, pushing her out of the way so the statue doesn’t fall on the daughter of Ares and instead lands on her legs. Mia vaults over the statue to see Paula, and thanks Thanatos that her friend is alive.
` ` Paula! Are you alright? ` ` Yuko asks, sitting up with Mo’s help.
` ` Yeah, but I’m not going to be able to get out from under the statue anytime soon, ` ` she groans.
` ` I’ll stay with you, ` ` Vincent says immediately, waving them off. ` ` You guys go ahead, we’ll be fine here. ` `
Phuddle nods, and the four of them start climbing up the long marble steps to the throne room.
The doors of the palace are big enough that you probably could’ve steered the Princess Andromeda through it, but they’re ripped off their hinges and smashed like they weigh nothing. She and her friends have to climb over a pile of broken stone and twisted metal to enter.
Kronos stands in the middle of the throne room, their arms wide, staring at the starry ceiling as if taking it all in. Their laughter echoes even louder than it had from the pit of Tartarus.
` ` Finally! ` ` they bellow. ` ` The Olympian Council – so proud and mighty. Which seat of power shall I destroy first? ` `
Gargona Reynolds stands to one side, trying to stay out of the way of her master’s scythe. The hearth seems almost dead, just a few coals glowing deep in the ashes. Hestia is nowhere to be seen. The Ophiotaurus swims in his water sphere in the far corner of the room, wisely not making a sound, but it isn’t going to be long before Kronos notices him.
Mia, Mo, Yuko and Phuddle step forward into the torchlight. Gargona sees them first.
` ` My lord, ` ` she warns.
Kronos turns and smiles through Panthea’s face. Except for the golden eyes, she looks just the same as the girl Mia grew up with. She makes a painful sound in the back of her throat, like someone just sucker-punched her.
` ` Shall I destroy you first, Valois? ` ` Kronos asks. ` ` Is that the choice you will make – to fight me and die instead of bowing down? Prophecies never end well, you know. ` `
` ` Panthea would fight with a sword, ` ` Mo says. ` ` But I suppose you don’t have her skill. ` `
Mia realises what he’s doing quickly. There’s no way he’s going to be able to fight Kronos if they have a scythe, so he’s goading them into switching into a weapon he knows how to fight against.
Kronos sneers. Their scythe begins to change, until he holds Panthea’s old weapon – Backbiter, with its half-steel, half-celestial bronze blade.
Mia frowns, narrowing her eyes at the sword.
A line of the prophecy comes to mind:
A hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap.
And Mo wasn’t the hero.
Mo wasn’t the hero.
Holy shit.
It wasn’t Mo’s soul that a cursed blade would reap, it was Panthea’s. And Backbiter, to Panthea, wasn’t a cursed blade, so what else….
She gasps, unsheathing her knife.
` ` Mo, The blade! The hero’s soul, cursed blade shall reap, ` ` she recites.
He looks confused, at first, but he doesn’t have time to respond before Kronos raises their sword.
` ` Wait! ` ` she yells.
Kronos comes at Mo like a whirlwind.
She watches the son of Zeus dodge and slash and roll, and Gargona tries to get behind him until Yuko intercepts him. They start to fight, and Mia feels helpless as Phuddle begins playing his reed pipes. The sound fills her with warmth and courage – thoughts of sunlight and a blue sky and a calm meadow, somewhere far away from the war.
Kronos backs Mo up against the throne of Hephaestus – a huge mechanical La-Z-Boy-type thing covered with bronze and silver gears. Kronos slashes and he manages to jump straight up onto the seat. The throne whirrs and hums with secret mechanisms. Defence mode, it warns. Defense mode.
That can’t be good. Mo jumps straight over Kronos’ head as the throne shoots tendrils of electricity in all directions. One hits Kronos in the face, arcing down their body and up their sword.
` ` ARGH! ` ` they crumple to their knees and drop Backbiter.
Mia sees her chance. She charges Kronos. ` ` Panthea, listen! ` `
Kronos flicks their hand, and she flies backwards, slamming into Athena’s throne and crumples to the floor.
Pain aches in her head like a drum, her vision sparking as she half-squints at the scene before her.
Gargona gets to her feet from where Yuko had dropped her. She stands between Mia and Mo. Phuddle’s music takes on a more urgent tone. He moves towards her, but he can’t go any faster and keep up the song. Grass grows on the floor of the throne room. Tiny roots creep up between the cracks of the marble stones.
Kronos rises to one knee. Their hair smoulders. Their face is covered with electrical burns. They reach for their sword, but this time it doesn’t fly into their hands.
` ` Reynolds! ` ` they groan. ` ` Time to prove yourself. You know Valois’ secret weakness. Kill him, and you will have rewards beyond measure. ` `
She can’t really see her, but she thinks Gargona’s eyes drop to Mo’s midsection, and now she’s sure Gargona knows. Even if she couldn’t kill Mo herself, all she has to do is tell Kronos. There was no way he could defend himself forever.
` ` Look around you, Gargona, ` ` Mo says. ` ` The end of the world. Is this the reward you want? Do you really want everything destroyed – the good with the bad? Everything? ` `
Phuddle and Yuko are almost to her now. The grass thickens on the floor. The roots are almost half a foot long, like a stubble of whiskers.
` ` There is no throne to Nemesis, ` ` Gargona mutters. ` ` No throne to my mother. ` `
` ` That’s right! ` ` Kronos tries to get up, but stumbles. Above their left ear, a patch of black hair still smoulders. ` ` Strike them down! They deserve to suffer. ` `
` ` You said your mom is the goddess of balance, ` ` Mo reminds her. ` ` The minor gods deserve better, Gargona, but total destruction isn’t balance. Kronos doesn’t build. He only destroys. ` `
Gargona looks at the sizzling throne of Hephaestus. Phuddle’s music keeps playing, and Gargona sways to it, as if the song is filling her with nostalgia – a wish to see a beautiful day, to be anywhere but here. Her good eye blinks. Then she charges – but not at Mo.
Kronos is still on their knees, and Gargona brings her sword down on the Titan lord’s neck. In any other circumstance, it would have killed him instantly, but the blade shatters. Gargona falls back, grasping her stomach. A shard of her own blade had ricocheted and pierced her armour.
` ` Kronos rises unsteadily, towering over their servant. ` ` Treason, ` ` they snarl.
Phuddle’s music keeps playing and grass grows around Gargona’s body. She stares at Mo, her face tight with pain. ` ` Deserve better, ` ` she gasps. ` ` If they just … had thrones – ` `
Kronos stomps their foot, and the floor ruptures around Gargona Reynolds. The daughter of Nemesis falls through a fissure that goes straight through the heart of the mountain – straight into open air.
` ` So much for him, ` ` Kronos picks up their swords. ` ` And now for the rest of you. ` `
Phuddle and Yuko are at her side now. The satyr’s stopped playing and now force-feeds her ambrosia, which isn’t a pleasant feeling. Yuko cradles Mia’s head in her lap. Everywhere Kronos steps, the roots wrap around their feet, but Phuddle had stopped his magic too early. The roots aren’t thick or strong enough to do much more than annoy the Titan.
Mo and Kronos fight through the hearth, kicking up coals and sparks. Kronos slashes as armrest off the throne of Ares, which is okay by all of them, but then he backs Mo up against his father’s throne.
` ` Oh, yes, ` ` Kronos says. ` ` This one will make fine kindling for my new hearth! ` `
Their blades clash in a shower of sparks. They’re stronger than Mo, but then something strange happens. Mo pushes them back and strikes again – slashing his sword across their breastplate so hard he cuts a gash in the celestial bronze.
Kronos stamps their foot again and Mo slows. He moves at the speed of a glacier. Kronos backs up leisurely, catching their breath. They examine the gash in their armour while Mo struggles forward, no doubt silently cursing them. They can take all the timeouts they want. They could freeze Mo in place at will. Mia’s only hope was that the effort was draining them.
` ` It’s too late, Mo Valois, ` ` they say. ` ` Behold. ` `
They point to the hearth and the coals flow. A sheet of white smoke pours from the fire, forming images like an IM. She sees Ben and Mo’s parents down on Fifth Avenue, fighting a hopeless battle, ringed in enemies. In the background Hades fights from his black chariot, summoning wave after wave of zombies out of the ground, but the forces of the Titans’ army seem just as endless. Meanwhile, Manhattan is being destroyed. Mortals, now fully awake, are running in terror. Cars swerve and crash.
The scene shifts, and they see something even more terrifying.
A column of storm approaches the Hudson River, moving rapidly over the Jersey shore. Chariots circle it, locked in combat with the creature in the cloud. The gods attack. Lightning flashes. Arrows of gold and silver streak into the cloud like rocket tracers and explode. Slowly, the cloud rips apart, and she sees Typhon clearly for the first time.
She knows as long as she lives (which, in retrospect, might not be that long) she’s never going to get that image out of her head. Typhon’s head shifts constantly. Every moment he’s a different monster, each more horrible than the last. Looking at his face, if she did do it, would probably drive her insane, so she focuses on his body, which if she’s being honest isn’t much better.
He’s humanoid, but his skin reminds her of a meatloaf sandwich that had been in someone’s locker all year. He’s mottled green, with blisters the size of buildings and blackened patches from aeons of being stuck under a volcano. His hands are human, but with talons like an eagle’s. His legs are scaly and reptilian.
` ` The Olympians are giving their final effort, ` ` Kronos laughs. ` ` How pathetic. ` `
Zeus throws a thunderbolt from his chariot. The blast lights up the world. She can feel the shock even here on Olympus, even when the dust clears, Typhon is still standing. He staggers a bit, with a smoking crater on the top of his misshapen head, but he roars in anger and keeps advancing.
Typhon steps into the Hudson River and barely sinks to mid-calf.
Now, she thinks, imploring the image in the smoke. Please, it has to happen now.
Like a miracle, a conch horn sounds from the smoky picture. The call of the ocean. The call of Poseidon.
All around Typhon, the Hudson River erupts, churning with twenty-metre waves. Out of the water bursts a new chariot – this one pulled by a massive hippocampi who swims in the air as easily as in water. Poseidon, glowing with a blue aura of power, rides a defiant circle around the giant’s legs. Poseidon isn’t an old man anymore, he looks tan and strong with a black beard. As he swings his trident, the river responds, making a funnel cloud around the monster.
` ` No! ` ` Kronos bellows, after a moment of stunned silence. ` ` NO! ` `
` ` NOW, MY BRETHREN! ` ` Poseidon’s voice is so loud Mia isn’t sure if she’s hearing it from the smoke image or from all the way across town. ` ` STRIKE FOR OLYMPUS! ` `
Warriors burst out of the river, riding the waves on huge sharks and dragons and seahorses. It was a legion of Cyclopses, and leading them into battle is…
` ` Rosal! ` ` Mo yells.
Mia stares at him in amazement. He’s magically grown in size. He has to be at least thirty feet tall, as big as any of his older cousins, and for the first time he’s wearing full battle armour. Riding behind him is Yolika, the Hundred-handed One.
All the Cyclopses hold huge lengths of black iron chains – big enough to anchor a godsdamned battleship – with grappling hooks at the ends. (With a snort, she’s reminded of her whole ‘cowboy moment’ with the Sow). They swing them like lassos and begin to ensnare Typhon, throwing lines around the creature’s legs and arms, using the tide to keep circling, slowly tangling him. Typhon shakes and roars and yanks on the chains, pulling some of the Cyclopses off their mounts, but there are too many chains. The sheer weight of the Cyclops battalion begins weighing Typhon down.
Poseidon throws his trident and impales the monster in the throat. Golden blood, immortal ichor, spews from the wound, making a waterfall taller than a skyscraper. The trident flies back to Poseidon’s hand.
The other gods strike with renewed force. Ares rides in and stabs Typhon in the nose. Artemis shoots the monster in the eye with a dozen silver arrows. Apollo shoots a blazing volley of arrows and sets the monster’s loincloth on fire. Zeus keeps pounding the giant with lightning, until finally, slowly, the water rises, wrapping Typhon like a cocoon, and he begins to sink under the weight of the chains.
Typhon bellows in agony, thrashing with such force that waves slosh the Jersey shore, soaking five-storey buildings and splashing over the George Washington Bridge – but down he goes as the god of the sea opens a special tunnel for him at the bottom of the river – an endless water slide that’s going to take him straight to Tartarus.
The giant’s head goes under in a seething whirlpool, and he’s gone.
` ` BAH! ` ` Kronos screams. They slash their sword through the smoke, tearing the image to shreds.
` ` They’re on their way, ` ` Mo says. ` ` You’ve lost. ` `
` ` I haven’t even started. ` `
They advance with blinding speed. Phuddle – brave, stupid satyr he is – tries to protect Mo, but Kronos tosses him aside like a rag doll. Mo sidesteps and jabs under Kronos’ guard. Mia admits it’s a good trick.
Unfortunately, Panthea knows it. They counter the strike and disarm Mo by using one of the first moves they’d ever taught him. His sword skitters across the ground and falls straight into the open fissure.
Mia clenches her jaw, and, despite Yuko’s whispered warnings, stands up. She doesn’t have enough time to limp towards them like she wants to, so instead she runs.
` ` STOP! ` ` she yells.
Kronos whirls to face her and slashes with Backbiter, but somehow Mia manages to catch the strike on her dagger hilt. It only sends a distant pang of pain in her arms, so the ambrosia Phuddle fed her must be doing its job. It was a move, she knows, that only the quickest and most skilled knife fighters can manage. She doesn’t know where she finds the strength, but she steps in closer for leverage, their blades crossed, and for a moment she stands face to face with the Titan lord, holding them at a standstill.
` ` Panthea, ` ` she says, gritting her teeth, ` ` I understand now. You have to trust me. ` `
Kronos roars in outrage. ` ` Panthea Malum is dead! Her body will burn away as I assume my true form! ` `
Kronos pushes against her, trying to dislodge their blade, but she holds him in check, arms trembling as they force his sword down towards her neck.
` ` Your mortal mother, ` ` she grunts. ` ` She saw your fate. ` `
` ` Service to Kronos! ` ` the Titan roars. ` ` This is my fate. ` `
` ` No! ` ` Mia insists. She can feel her eyes tearing up, and she doesn’t know if it’s from sadness or pain. ` ` That’s not the end, Panthea. The prophecy – she saw what you would do. It applies to you! ` `
` ` I will crush you, child! ` ` Kronos bellows.
` ` You won’t, ` ` Mia says with conviction. ` ` You promised. You’re holding back Kronos even now. ` `
` ` LIES! ` ` Kronos pushes again and this time she loses her balance. With their free hand, Kronos strikes her face and she slides backwards. Ow, she thinks, cheek stinging.
Kronos looms over her, their sword raised. She can feel what she can only assume is blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.
If this hasn’t worked, she’s going to have to try something else.
` ` Family, Panthea. You promised. ` `
Kronos staggers.
They stare at the knife in her hand, the blood on her face.
` ` Promise. ` `
Then they gasp like they can’t get air.
` ` Mia…. ` ` but it isn’t the Titan’s voice. It’s Panthea’s. She feels like she’s about to cry. Panthea stumbles forward like she can’t control her own body. ` ` You’re bleeding… ` `
` ` My knife, ` ` Mia tries to raise her dagger, but it clatters out of her hand. Her arm feels bent, but not like it’s supposed to. She turns her head to Mo, imploring. ` ` Mo, please… ` `
Apparently, he can move again, because he surges forward and scoops up her knife. He knocks Backbiter out of Panthea’s hand and it spins into the hearth. Panthea hardly pays him any attention. She steps toward Mia, but Mo puts himself in between them, Yuko at his side.
` ` Don’t touch her, ` ` he says.
Anger ripples across her face. Kronos’ voice growls: ` ` Valois…. ` `
Is it her imagination, or is their whole body glowing, turning gold.
They gasp again. Panthea’s voice: ` ` They’re changing. Help. They’re – they’re almost ready. They won’t need my body any more. Please – ` `
` ` NO! ` ` Kronos bellows. They look around for their sword, but it’s in the hearth, glowing among the coals. They stumble towards it. Mo tries to stop them, but they push him out of the way with such force he lands next to Mia and cracks his head on the base of Athena’s throne.
` ` The knife, Mo, ` ` she mutters. Her breath is too shallow, vision going black around the edges. ` ` Hero…cursed blade…. ` `
When Mia’s vision comes back into focus, she sees Kronos grasping their sword. Then they bellow in pain and drop it. Their hands were smoking and sneered. The hearth fire has grown red hot, like the scythe wasn’t compatible with it. She sees an image of Hestia flickering in the ashes, frowning at Kronos with disapproval.
Panthea turns and collapses, clutching her ruined hands. ` ` Please, Mo. ` `
Her friend stumbles to his feet and moves towards her with the knife.
Panthea moistens her lips. ` ` You can’t…can’t do it yourself. They’ll break my control. They’ll defend themself. Only my hand. I know where. I can… can keep him controlled.` `
She’s definitely glowing now, her skin starting to smoke.
Mo raises the knife to strike, then he looks back at Mia. Mia, Phuddle cradling her in his arms as Yuko raises her spear in front of them. Then, he finally seems to understand what she’s been trying to tell him.
You are not the hero, she’d told him. It will affect what you do.
` ` Please, ` ` Panthea groans. ` ` No time. ` `
If Kronos evolves into their true form, there is going to be no stopping them. They would make Typhon look like a playground bully. The line from the Great Prophecy echoes in her head:
A hero’s soul, cursed blade shall reap.
Mo hands the knife to Panthea.
Yuko yelps. ` ` Mo? What the hell are you doing? ` `
Panthea unlatches the side straps of her armour, exposing a small bit of her skin just under her left arm, a place that would be very hard to hit.
With difficulty, she stabs herself.
It isn’t a deep cut, but Panthea howls. Her eyes glow like lava. The throne room shakes, throwing Mo off his feet. An aura of energy surrounds Panthea, growing brighter and brighter. Mia shuts her eyes and feels a force akin to a nuclear explosion blister her skin and crack her lips.
It’s silent for a long time.
When she opens her eyes, she sees Panthea sprawled at the hearth. On the floor around her is a blackened circle of ash. Kronos’ scythe has liquefied into molten metal and is trickling into the coals of the hearth, which now glow like a blacksmith’s furnace.
Panthea’s left side is bloody. Her eyes are open – green eyes, the way they used to be. Her breath is a death rattle.
` ` Good….blade, ` ` she croaks.
Mo leans next to her. Mia limps over with Yuko and Phuddle’s support.
She doesn’t say a word.
The old Panthea might have deserved that. This one certainly doesn’t. Despite her final act in life, it doesn’t make up for everything she’s done.
She may be a hero in the eyes of the gods, but she is no hero of Mia’s. Not anymore.
Neither is Gargona.
` ` Gargona. Me. All the unclaimed. Don’t let it….Don’t let it happen again. ` `
Her eyes are angry, but pleading, too.
` ` I won’t, ` ` Mo says. ` ` I promise. ` `
Panthea nods, and her hand, which had been clutched to her chest, goes slack.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
Camp, when they come back, seems both the same and different. Mo’s deal with the Olympians means that hopefully things will be looking up soon. Vincent’s been allowed to redesign Olympus, Phuddle’s on the Council of Cloven Elders, Yuko was gifted an indestructible spear by Ares and Paula’s been gifted with charmspeak.
And as for Mia?
She was promised help from her mother (who she’s still not sure how to feel about, not really) to learn to further hone her magic and begin to learn control of the Mist.
Everything feels heavier, and she does, too.
Violetta, now healed with only a burn scar on her cheek as proof of her ordeal, has decided to join the Hunters. When Mia had asked why, she’d told her that she couldn’t handle being around the people she’d betrayed while still making her peace with her decision.
She’d understood, of course she had, and Violetta had hugged her and promised that she’d visit as often as she could. Usually, she’d brush that off as a promise she couldn’t keep. After all, she was an immortal Hunter of Artemis now. But, since it’s Violetta, she takes her at her word.
It’s Violetta, after all.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
` ` It’s still your birthday, is it not? ` ` she retorts, raising an eyebrow at Mo who gapes at her. It seems that, after the whole oh-my-god-the-world-is-ending-thing, he’d forgotten what day it was.
` ` Blow out the candles, birthday boy. Don’t forget to make a wish, ` ` Yuko laughs, and he wrinkles his nose at her before obliging.
Mia doesn’t know if she can trust that everything will be okay, but at least it looks like things are looking up.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
` ` I know, Chiron, but – ` ` Mia starts, then stops.
Her vision goes green, then black.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
to storm or fire the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath,
and foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.