Unlikely Heroes

Chapter 37: Experiencing The Change

Annabeth Chase

"You...?" Aileen says with disbelieve.

Ares smirks as he walks towards us, his weapon morphed into a sword. "You stole the Helmet and the Bolt?!" Grover asks in utter shock, staring wide-eyed at Ares.

He rested his sword on his shoulder as he looms over us. His face adorned with a superior smirk as he stands there all proud. The left hand seems to twirl a ski cap. The Helmet of Darkness, no doubt.

"Of course not, Gods taking the symbol of power from their fellows is a big no, no. Did your puny brains not think there are other heroes running around doing errands?" He says.

"You dare use your own children for it?! Stain their honor with your honorless actions!" Aileen spits at him.

He snarls at her. "I never liked you, Bone Shit. Doesn't matter who did it, you group of irritating children are impeding the war effort. Corpse Breath was supposed to kill you, Jackson. Poseidon would be angry at Lady Corpse. She would have the bolt which will make Zeus angry at her as well as Poseidon. Old father Zeus would think they are both going after him. A splendid war, you see! All the while lady Death would be looking for this," he says with giddiness.

The ski cap transformed to a celestial bronze Helmet. He tosses it a bit in the sky with clear pride as he holds it. My eyes glance at Aileen, she is becoming angry. I can see it in her eyes. Why would Ares do this? Does he not care that they are family?

"But they are family! Do you not care about them?" I ask, looking at him with furrowed brows. Ares laughs as he catches the helmet again. "That's the best war, girl! Most blood is shed between family members that hate each other," he says.

"But if you had both symbols of power, why not keep the Bolt too? The power...?" Grover asks as he contemplates it. It is a good question. Ares seems lost for a few seconds. Something seems off about it as he processes something. I turn to Aileen to see how she is doing.

What I see shocks me utterly. Her eyes flicker with a green color and a touch of gold in it. It is very faint, and I only see it because it is nighttime. How is this possible?! Her eyes are aflame. I have only seen Gods and Goddess do that before. Is this what is meant with change? Her becoming a Goddess?

"Aileen...? Are you feeling well?" Her eyes flick to me before going to Ares again. "Insult after insult. My mother is not some tool to be used!" She seethes out angrily as she looks at Ares.

"You dare insult me, boy! It was my idea to send it to Hades through you punks! I do not have dreams!" Ares roars out angrily as he hears something coming from Percy.

It makes me look at them again. I wasn't paying attention at all, and now it seems Ares is angry at Percy for some reason. This is not good. An angry God and an angry Aileen. This will not be good at all.

"Who said anything about dreams?" Percy asks with a smirk. That made Ares furious as he starts to approach him with weapon drawn. Aileen starts to walk towards Ares as well with her own weapon out. Her anger and fury visible to all.

"Aileen, please don't..." I try to say, but it falls on deaf ears. I hear her mutter about this being the last straw. That the string of insults to Hades has to end. I concur with the sentiment, but attacking Ares does not seem wise to me.

"Darkness gather and give me strength," I hear Aileen chant in Ancient Greek. Everything darkens around her. Her Stygian blade turns to an even darker shade. A black substance starts to coat her body as it forms a near impenetrable armor.

Ares whips his head towards her. His eyes are eying her strangely, but he is somehow afraid of her. "Impossible..." he says, but is cut off as he had to parry with great speed and effort. Their blades clash with terrifying strength and force. It sends shockwaves in all directions.