Chapter 32 - Leo
Leo studied the blueprints before him, his pencil tapping his forehead frequently, his brow turned down in deep thought. He opened the windows of the cargo hold, letting the sea breeze cool him off, allowing the fresh air to revive his troubled mind. His thoughts kept drifting to what was in store for him and his friends when the final battle kicked off when Gaea awakened - if she awakened. He knew it would have to take much more than seven demigods with low class godly abilities to slow her up.
Gaea was earth right? So to be at full strength, she would have to be connected with the earth. This gave Leo a couple of options for a possible counter offense: either invent a giant crane to pluck her from the earth and then use her as a giant dirt-filled piñata... Or he could possibly re-build Festus before the Feast of Spes and snatch her from the ground. He thought about it for a second.
Nah, too cheesy.
Leo tried to think of any attacks he could wield if the option of separating Gaea from the earth was unusable. Earth's greatest health source was water. 90% of the earth was water. They could try to drown her with it... but then again, if they used water against her, she'd probably double in strength.
Sooooo, probably not a good idea to sick Percy on her. That would just make things worse. Then again - everything Percy did only made matters worse; except this time they would be dealing with the earth's coming destruction or preservation, so... yeah.
Fire was never a good natural resource for anything really, except to keep warm and start up machinery. Fire burned everything it encountered, whether light parched shrubbery, or pure thickened iron. Fire could work. It would at best weaken her. That was better than nothing.
Leo thought that through. If he could use some kind of fire source to wound her enough to let one of his friends jump in and strike - with the help of their godly parents of course - they may just have a chance of taking her down. But how would he use it against her without weakening himself? He could only wield his fire user abilities for a certain amount of time before collapsing from sheer exhaustion. He looked over his blueprints once more, searching through his designs from earlier.
They looked like garbage now when before they looked golden.
In disgust, he crumbled up the papers and burned them in his hands. If he was going to discard them, might as well be sure they don't fall into the wrong hands by mistake.
Sighing, he went to his desk and sat down, plumping his arms onto the wood and burying his face in his hands. Why did everything in life have to be so difficult? Especially the 'love' part of life?
Leo's mind slowly drifted back to the image of Calypso. Beautiful, talented, strong-hearted Calypso. She was everything a boy like him could ask for when trying to find love. She was gifted at weaving and building things from scrap and the resources around her. She wasn't some fairy tale princess that desperately needed a 'Prince Charming' to always look after her. She was strong. She was just. And of course she was also like... drop-dead gorgeous.
Leo grimaced, moaning into his shirt sleeve, his fingers gripping his hair. Stop thinking about her, he told himself. It'll just drive you madder. Then a new thought crossed his mind. No... think about her. It actually kinda helps. He then imagined her voice speaking to him. It'll build your inspiration. It'll strengthen your motivation to craft your project. Keep going Leo Valdez. I await your return.
Leo's head rose. He gripped the edge of his desk. Remember Capture the Flag, he told himself. You played that game for your friends... but you also played it for her. And you won it for her. Nobody lights oranges on fire and hurls them at Nereids just to win a game. They do it because it's the only way for them to find the one thing they truly desire.
Leo marched to his blue print supplies and pulled out a fresh page. And right now...
He opened the page. My greatest desire...
He slammed the print on his desk and pulled out a pencil. Is getting back to Ogygia.
(A/N: Roll credits! Jk)
P.O.V. switch
Jason
Jason looked around. The inside of the apartment building was like a death trap for people with dust allergies. The furniture were all covered in white sheets, old paintings hanging lopsidedly on withered, cracked walls, displaying ghostly images of European soldiers and English kings from at least five centuries ago. Some tables and chairs were overturned, some with broken legs, and some still standing upright. Everything was connected with frayed, swaying cobwebs. It was like a haunted house in there. It gave Jason the creeps.
"Wait," Frank said, staring at the woman that stood before them, interrupting Jason's thoughts. "Are you...?"
"My mother told me ahead of time I would be having guests," the old lady said to them. "I thought she meant more towards the line of siblings or maybe some friendly Mer-people/human hybrids. I should have known... Of course it's demigods! It's always demigods!"
"Uhh..." Percy said. "Still here. Still have ears y'know."
"I assume it was Tethys who sent you, correct?" the woman huffed.
"Yeah," Frank said nervously.
"Well then, here I am!" The woman spread her arms as if to say, I am your savior! Gift me with riches from the far beyond! "I am who you seek. I am Eurynome." She was regal in a 'hag-like' sort of way. Her skin was grey and withered, her knuckles bony and white. Her teeth were cracked and yellow, and her mop of greasy white hair lay piled on top of her small head. Her image basically matched her surroundings.
Jason thought about Tethys, who looked so young and beautiful when they'd seen her with Oceanus aboard their ship. How could this woman be her daughter?
It slipped out of Jason's mouth before he could realize. "Are you mortal?"
Eurynome stared at him incredulously. "Am. I. Mortal?"
Percy and Frank looked at Jason as if he'd gone mad. Well, I've lived an okay life, I guess... Jason thought to himself. He continued. "Well, when we encountered your mother, Tethys, she looked... y'know... young and... good-"
"'Good'?" Eurynome demanded. "You are hitting on my mother??"
"Awwwwkwaaaard," Percy muttered.
"No! No!" Jason said. "She just looked really young, and you seem rather..." He faltered off, his eyes locked on his shoes.
"Yes, boy, I look like an old, wrinkly witch," Eurynome said. "Baked in a microwave, taken out, frozen, and then backed again. I am over six thousand years old. Does that seem mortal enough to you?"
"No," Jason muttered.
"Mother Tethys hates the look of age. She uses her once-known powerful form to disguise the being she takes on now. If she were to leave that mask behind, she may as well crumple into dust. She looks much worse than me, that is for sure."
The demigods said nothing.
"Anyways! As I said before, I am Eurynome," the woman continued, seeming to have forgotten Jason's remark, and wave of relief ran through him. "And I stand here to-"
"Yeah, okay awesome," Percy said flatly, cutting her off. "Good to know you and all. This is Jason and Frank, sons of Jupiter and Mars... or Zeus and Ares, whichever. I'm Percy, son of Poseidon or Neptune, take your pick. Tell us how to get to Athens."
Eurynome stared at them.
Frank added, "Please."
"And thank you," Percy finished.
"Well!" Eurynome said. "Straight to the point, eh? Don't you already know how to get there?"
"Oh, we know how to get there," Jason said. "We've got a genius Hephaestus kid on our ship who can create a 5-star radar screen and GPS unit faster than you can blink. And a strawberry smoothie. Still, Tethys told us to find you."
"We assume there are... pretty bad things on the route we've chosen to take ourselves," Frank put in. "We hoped you would give us another... safer way."
"Hmm," Eurynome folded her arms and looked them over. Her blue eyes were so piercing, Jason assumed she might be able to stare right through his flesh should her glare increase its magnitude.
A crash sounded from up the road.
Jason went to the window and pulled back the curtain slightly, peering out into the street.
Down the road, at the courtyard up the hill, the Laestrygonians were starting to ruff-house, pushing each other over, and having arm wrestling competitions on park benches. One of them had just collapsed beneath the weight of two of the monsters, splintered boards flying this way and that.
Jason let the curtain fall. "I hate to say it," he said. "But I think we should get closer to that congregation. See what's going on. We might be able to pick up some valued information."
"I agree with the son of Zeus," Eurynome said. "Plus, I hate it in here. This disgusting apartment hasn't been cleaned out in years." She walked to an old lamp stand and brushed her hand along the polished wood. When she pulled back, her fingers were smothered in dust.
"How long have you been here?" Percy asked.
"Oh, a day and a half at best," the old woman said. "Once hearing of my coming visitors - AKA: you three - I had to make myself look like a mortal. Though these buildings are vacant and inoperable, I borrowed this one for the time being and made myself look like a promising homeless woman."
Percy shuddered. "I've had enough encounters with gods and goddesses pretending to be homeless folk. Let's just find a good, hidden location closer to those monsters so we can figure out what they're doing here."
"And then once we're settled," Frank added. "You can give us directions to Athens."
Eurynome waved her hand dismissively. "Not to worry, son of Ares. I have valued information you three should very much be eager to embrace. Now come. These apartments are all connected in some way as you may have noticed when you were still outside. Be warned however, it is like a maze in here."
P.O.V. switch
Leo
Leo studied the crystal he'd received from Calypso's cave very intently, his eyes running along its base; trying to figure out how the hand-sized gem would be able to fit inside a custom built navigation system that would assist the machine unto locating Ogygia on a hand-made detachable radar screen that would be able to transform into a stamp-sized poker chip if discovered by evil minions... or... into a full-scale, bronze bullet-firing mini gun if encountered by monsters without any weapons of any kind.
Uhhh........ what the Hades did he just imagine?
Never mind. Screw those plans.
He crumbled the blue prints and burned them in his hands, dropping the ashes a midst the other mountains of ash that piled around his feet and desk already. He pressed his fingers against his temples in sheer frustration.
He couldn't think right now! He couldn't think of anything! Nothing came to his mind. He needed inspiration. He needed to be focused. Right now... he couldn't find anything to help him. His head ached, and his eyes were bloodshot from staring at plans for over four hours.
Sighing, he looked out the window. The sun was slowly beginning to descend behind the sea. They'd been sitting at a harbor near the southern coast of Rhodes for about six hours now. No mortals paid them any attention. No monsters attacked them.
Leo sat still for a few more minutes, then finally got up and went above deck. He needed some air. He found the girls already there, Annabeth sitting in one of the lounge chairs, watching as Piper and Hazel practiced sparring.
Piper wore a black tank-top and jean shorts, her hair pulled back in a pony-tail, a loan feather tied to her brown locks.
Hazel was dressed in grey warm-ups and a purple T-shirt, her chocolate-brown hair bouncing as she whirled around Piper, trying to unbalance her with her sword.
As Leo drew near, he could see by Annabeth's features that she didn't seem relaxed, though her posture was. She sat with her shoes off, her jean shorts exposing her legs, one crossed over the other. She wore an orange camp T-shirt and a brimmed straw hat to shade her face, her blond hair falling down her shoulders. Her face however was clenched, as if she were in pain, her eyes narrowed to slits, her lips pursed.
Leo walked over and Annabeth looked up as he collapsed in the chair next to her. "Hey Leo."
Leo sighed contentedly as he leaned back comfortably in the deck chair "What's goin' on?"
"Nothin' much," she replied. "Just thought Piper and Hazel could use some practice while the time is right. Piper! Remember to keep moving. Don't always stand in one spot."
Piper paused to wipe her brow, and gave a nod of her head.
"You want to get in some practice?" Annabeth asked Leo.
"Me? Sword play? You kidding?" Leo grinned. "I'm not a swordsman. I stick to my resources. I use what I have against monsters, whether it comes from my tool belt, or just by using my scrawniness to find small places to hide."
Annabeth smiled. "And if by some chance, you suddenly become obese and lose your tool belt?"
Leo's grin vanished. "Then I guess I'm a dead man... But that'll never happen."
Annabeth smirked. "Whatever you say, Repair Boy."
P.O.V. switch
Jason
The boys followed Eurynome through the complicated formation that made up the interior of the apartment buildings. The goddess was right. All the apartments were connected, like a very long, snake-like, single-story hotel facility.
They continued through the building, heading towards the end of the complex that ran parallel with the road, leading to the courtyard. From there, they would have a good view of the Laestrygonians without the danger of being sensed, or of the building being knocked over if the monsters' ruff-housing got out of hand.
Within a minute they had reached the third to last section of the apartment building. Though when Eurynome had lead them there, Jason's head began to hurt as he tried to recall how the goddess had done it. There were many doors they had to cross through, many bedrooms and connecting hallways they passed and entered when trying to get here. He couldn't keep track of all the areas they'd gone. Still, they were here, and everything was under control at the moment.
When the half-bloods peered through a crack in the curtains beside the front window, they got a full-scale view of the small patrol outside. The group of Laestrygonians had settled down now, and apparently one of them knew sorcery, for Jason sensed a large invisible force field expanding around the entire block. He peered down to the end of the road that stretched about 200 yards away, and when mortals tried to enter the area, they would suddenly turn back and head the opposite way.
It was like the boundary line that Morpheus had conjured that surrounded New York City during the battle of Manhattan. Percy had given him the details. Except it wasn't a sleep spell. As Jason watched, mortals began exiting the buildings and local shops along the road, heading for the end of the street, disappearing one by one.
Pretty soon, they'd be all alone. This made Jason shiver slightly.
Frank checked the front door to make sure it was locked - though in Jason's opinion, they would have to plant a German Panzer battle tank in front of the entrance way to keep the monster's out. A locked door was no more than a tooth pick standing in the Ogres' way.
Percy mimicked Jason's thoughts. "Dude, your intentions are appreciated, but honestly, they would have no trouble getting past the bolts on a door."
Frank's face turned red, but he nodded without a word, walking over to one of the old sofas that sat near an old stairwell that led to a basement down below, swept the dust off the cushions and sat down.
Percy and Jason found chairs, and soon the four of them were seated comfortably in the living room.
Eurynome crossed her legs, and folded her hands one over the other in a dignified manner. She eyed them all patiently. "So," she began. "You wish for safe directions to Athens, yes?"
Jason and Frank gave a nod. Percy said nothing.
"Let me start by asking where you first came from," the goddess said.
Jason cleared his throat. "Well, our navigator said we came from the western side of the Medditerranean, through the Ionian, and along the southern coast of Greece. After hearing we had to come here, we flew our ship - yes, in case you didn't know, our ship can fly - we flew our ship over the islands of..." Jason faltered, trying to remember the names of the islands Leo had said. "Um... one of them was Paros, and another was Naxos. I know that."
"I think another was Amorgos," Frank put in.
"Ah, so you came from the northwest," Eurynome said thoughtfully. "Well, I am honestly astonished you three are here at all. Every island that extends southeast from Greece to the island of Rhodes is completely swamped by monsters."
Frank nearly fell through the cushions of his sofa.
"You're kidding," Percy muttered.
"I am quite shocked your ship was not heard or detected," Eurynome said. "A flying warship can easily be spotted, especially when flying over twenty plus monster-infested islands."
"Well, we flew the ship here in the middle of the night," Jason said. "And it isn't that loud when airborne... It's about the volume of a blimp at high altitude."
"Hmm..." Eurynome thought for a moment, stroking her multiple chins. "I am still not convinced. However, we shall save that matter for a later time. Now! I assume you wish to know why all those islands were overrun by monsters."
"Guards or servants of Gaea," Percy said. "Set up to attack when we came through. Ordered to keep watch for us. Waiting for us to come through and then annihilate us at the right moment. Am I on the right track?"
"Oh my!" Eurynome said with feigned excitement, waving her grey withered hands back and forth, smiling broadly, showing off her rotting teeth. "We have a brilliant young man who knows his answers! Congratulations, son of Poseidon! You win a cookie."
Percy stared at her.
"Now! Because Gaea was so bent on capturing you demigods before you neared the coast of Athens, she made a huge mistake. That mistake... was placing her sentries as well as her entire army all along the western islands, and completely forgetting about the ones toward the east in the Aegean Sea. Are you following along?"
Yes, ma'am, we're not five years old, Jason wanted to think, but he gave a nod of his head.
Frank put in. "So, you're saying the best and safest route would be to skirt around the western islands and then make short jumps along the ones to the east?"
Eurynome clapped her hands. "Excellent! Simply marvelous, son of Ares! You win a cookie as well."
Jason nodded his head slowly, gathering the information he'd received in his mind, turning it over and over. "Okay, that all sounds good. That sounds really good."
"Is that it then?" Frank asked Eurynome. "Just take the eastern islands and enter Athens from the Aegean Sea?"
"Indeed it is," Eurynome said. "And I have one more piece of information..."
The demigods listened.
"Two things," she said. "Number one: When you reach the islands of Tinos and Andros near the top of the chain, they form a giant straight that neighbors the coast of Potami and Agii. Steer clear of that coast. Number two: It is the Steno Kafirea straight. Be on the utmost alert when crossing through those waters. Oceanus knows what creatures of such atrocity lurk within those depths. But unfortunately, it is the only way, unless you feel like dancing the waltz with the monsters on the western islands."
Percy raised his hand. "But a small body of water channels between Tinos and Andros. Wouldn't that be okay?"
"If you cross through that gap," Eurynome said. "You become an easy target to Gaea's patrols near the west islands. It is up to you demigods. I will not tell you where to go. You asked for directions. I gave them to you. Which path you choose is completely up to you."
The boys said nothing. Jason and Frank looked down.
Percy sat back in his seat, looking towards the window. The light was beginning to dim, signaling dusk's approach. "It's getting late guys," he said. "We should probably start heading back to the ship before Polybotes finds us."
"Yeah, I'm still concerned as to where he disappeared to," Jason said. "It's giving me the creeps."
"Good. Then I will leave you now," Eurynome said. "The ocean calls to me once more. Too much time out of the water turns me pruny... as you can... rather see right now."
Jason cracked a tiny smile.
"Best of luck to you, demigods," the goddess said, arising from her chair. She shook hands with all three of them, Jason trying not to grip her hand too hard, because half of him assumed her fingers would crumble to powder when he so much as touched them.
"I must return to the sea now, as should you," the old woman said. "We have our own journeys to attend."
"Thank you so much," Frank said politely. "For all your help."
"Yeah thanks," Jason agreed, dipping his head to her.
Percy nodded to her with a smile.
"No need for thanks, my friends. Anything to defeat that retched earth mother and restore peace to the oceans," Eurynome said. "Farewell, Percy, Jason and Frank." She eyed them each in turn as she spoke their names for the first time. Turning, she walked to the door that led deeper into the apartment facility. Just before she disappeared, she turned and looked back. "Long live the Olympians," she declared. Then with a small whoosh! and the smell of a fresh ocean breeze, the demigods were just in time to see the tall form of a beautiful young woman standing before them, her features mesmerizing within the flow of long auburn hair, deep blue eyes, and rich almond skin, her being enfolded in a white sleeveless gown. And then she was gone.
The boys stood alone in an empty apartment. The room seemed much colder than before. And much darker.
Jason peered around. The fading sunlight filtering through the windows had vanished, plunging them into a dark room, damp grey light now bleeding through the curtains.
"We've got to go," Percy said, breaking the silence. "We gotta get back before sundown. Something tells me we shouldn't be on this island this late in the evening."
Jason nodded, his breathing making small clouds of vapor before him. "Alright, let's get going."
"Uh... guys?" Frank whispered.
Jason and Percy turned.
Frank was standing next to the front window, his fingers pulling back the edge of the curtain, peering through the crack into the courtyard outside. His eyes were narrowed in fright.
Jason walked across the room and looked over Frank's shoulder. "Styx," he muttered.
"What is it?" Percy approached them cautiously, and Jason and Frank stepped away. As Percy looked out the window, Jason rummaged through his pack, bringing out the little walkie-talkie that Leo had given him.
He hurriedly turned it on.
P.O.V. switch
Leo
Leo stopped amid his work. He had gone back down to the cargo hold after spending a few hours on deck. The sun had gone down now, pink feeble rays still bleeding outward over the horizon, signaling the end of dusk.
Leo put down his pencil, listening. After a few seconds, he heard it again. "Leo?" a small voice asked. It was Jason's voice, coming from Leo's radio. Leo nearly fell out of his chair, quickly hurrying to his things, rummaging through them till he found his walkie-talkie lying on one of his shelves. "Leo, are you there?" Jason's voice came again through the speaker.
Leo held down the button, and spoke into the mouth piece. "Jason, hey buddy! What's up?"
"Shhh!" came Jason's reply.
"Oh sorry," Leo said, lowering his voice to a whisper. "What, the other guys asleep or something?"
"No, not at all," Jason's voice answered. "Leo, we need to figure out a plan right now if we're gonna get off this island alive."
"What do you mean?" Leo asked, his heart beginning to pound.
Jason's voice came back, two seconds later. "It's the giants."
Hey guys. So...... bash me all you want. Yell at me. Scream at me. Virtually throw things at me. I deserve it. I welcome it. I said I'd update a week after the last one, and two freaking months later I finally update.
I can't say sorry anymore. I've said it enough. Sorry doesn't cover it. I hope you all can forgive me. So many things are happening at the moment preventing me from getting on Wattpad. I can't explain them all to you.
But I finally got around to writing again, so I created this big, fat 4,000+ word chapter for you all to read. I hope you guys enjoyed it.
This is dedicated to x_seaweedbrain_x for all the votes back there. Thank you!! Keep being awesome! <3 :D
Don't forget to please leave a comment and a vote.
Tell you what! If I can get 15 reviews on this chapter before the coming weekend ends, I 100% promise that I will update within the week.
Thanks guys for keeping up. Love you all!
Again, don't forget to comment and vote. 15 reviews and I'll update next week (the same person leaving a bunch of reviews will only count as one).
Talk to you all later!
Until next time!