Chapter 35: Frank
TWO DAYS AFTER RETURNING, THE SEVEN had a visitor.
It was at breakfast. Everyone looked exhausted but much better than they previously had been. Frank still felt ready to pass out any minute and he was sore all over. He could see bruises and cuts on everyone, although their fights had been days ago.
Overall, everyone was in a good mood. Annabeth was furiously reading through books, insisting that there were two locations where the rest of the giants would be. She seemed to be frustrated with Percy, repeating several times, “The winter solstice, Percy. Don’t you remember where we were three winters ago?”
Everyone else was just speaking. Frank listened to his friends speak about their fights and their struggles during it. It was weird that everyone had prayed to their godly parent and they had helped.
“Maybe the gods are listening,” Hazel said.
“I don’t think so. It’s hard to listen when there’s no hope in them,” Jason responded slowly.
“Of course there is hope, young heroes.”
Frank nearly swallowed his fork at that. He sputtered and swiveled his head at the new voice. Percy already had Riptide out and Leo’s hand was on fire. Their eyes were looking for an intruder, an intruder that wasn’t there.
There was a ghost next to the table… But it wasn’t a ghost. It was more like a spirit. The room seemed colder now that she was there. Her hair was the color of gold and her eyes were nearly transparent, which was a little freaky. When Frank looked into her eyes, he suddenly felt optimistic, as if there was hope in defeating Gaea…
“Who are you?” Percy demanded.
The spirit tilted her head slightly. She was smiling warmly, although her transparent eyes kind of ruined the look. “Well, I certainly know who you are, Percy Jackson,” she said in a soft voice. “Do you not remember Prometheus giving you that offer last summer in Manhattan?”
“Prometheus… He offered me Pandora’s Box.” Percy’s eyebrows pulled together. “I mean… He offered me Pandora’s Pithos. It had Hope inside of it. He said when I was ready to surrender, I would let Hope go.”
The spirit smiled wider. “I am Spes,” she said. “I am the goddess of hope.”
“You’re just a spirit, though,” Annabeth said suddenly.
“Of course I am,” Spes answered, as if it were obviously. “My true self is trapped inside of Pandora’s Pithos, as it has been for centuries. I am just a fragment of my true self. I’ve never even attempted this, but I need to speak to you.”
Frank didn’t really understand anything except he was literally talking to Hope. From what he could remember of the story of Pandora’s Box is that everything was released into the world except for Hope. And now Spes, who was Hope, was speaking to them.
“But why are you here?” Piper questioned. “Why?”
“I’m not completely clueless to what has been happening,” Spes replied. “Gaea plans to rise on the first of August, which is only eight days away. Do you remember what August first is?”
Everyone was silent for a second until Jason spoke. “It’s the Feast of Spes, isn’t it? It’s your sacred day.”
“Exactly,” Spes said. “Gaea is planning to take my day in her advantage. She wants to make it clear that there is no hope left in the world. It’s clever, yes, but horrible.”
“But why does this matter to us?” Leo asked.
“I’m not supporting Gaea.” Spes looked at each of them, her transparent eyes passing over the seven teenagers. “I support the gods. I hate the idea that Gaea wants to use my day to overthrow the world. Alas, I can’t do anything myself about it. I can’t leave the pithos unless I am released, and right now I am in Hestia’s care. I can only appear by spirit. So I’m here to help and simply give you a message.”
It was so quiet in the mess hall that Frank could hear his heart beating in his ears. The message from Spes could either be extremely bad or good. Anything could come from the goddess of hope.
“When you need the power of hope the most, it will come to you. Hope, much like love, can bring gods and mortals alike to their knees. It has a mysterious way of working. Even the gods themselves cannot ignore the power that is in me. So when you need it, something will come and aid you.”
Just like that, Spes seemed to get farther and farther away. Her eyes closed the room started to get warmer.
Percy stood, following Spes down the hallway. “Wait!” he yelled. “What does that mean? How are we supposed to defeat Gaea?”
And then Spes was gone.
“That didn’t help.” Percy slumped back into his seat. “So she tells us she doesn’t like Gaea messing with her feast and just says hope the most it will work in mysterious ways?”
“I think she’s going to help,” Jason guessed.
“No, I have a hunch that she will. I have to change the subject now because this is about the giants.” Annabeth opened her book and jabbed her finger at a tiny name. “Percy, three winters ago, we were at the moved Mount Othrys, which is the Mountain of Despair. Jason, you fought there last summer.”
“What does that mean?” Leo asked.
Annabeth smiled, her eyes twinkling. “I think this is where we can find the last three giants.”
A/N: look, an update! it's been two weeks but oh well, this chapter is SUPER IMPORTANT so PLEASE remember this in advance!
this chapter is dedicated to camp_hero because you might be onto something...
I know I've been saying a q&a video will be up soon, but my phone keeps glitching whenever I try to upload it, so for now it will be delayed. :( sorry!
I start high school next Monday, so this may or may not be the last update before school starts. I've already been to orientation and a school dance for incoming freshman so I'm already busy!
OH AND I'M IN A SUPER GOOD MOOD BECAUSE I GOT TICKETS TO 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER TODAY YESSS
thanks for reading! love you all :) only 11 chapters and the epilogue left!
- Megan <3
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The Blood of Olympus (Fan-Fiction)
Fanfiction{completed} ✓ The Doors of Death have been closed, Percy and Annabeth have been saved from Tartarus, but the war is far from over. With the seven demigods preparing for the final and most dangerous battle, everyone is aware that Gaea has the upper h...
