THEY RODE THE BOAR UNTIL SUNSET,
which was about as much as Aurora's back end could take. Imagine riding a giant steel brush over a bed of gravel all day. That's about how comfortable boar-riding was.
"So not comfortable." Atlas said
Aurora had no idea how many miles they covered, but the mountains faded into the distance and were replaced by miles of flat, dry land. The grass and scrub brush got sparser until we were galloping (do boars gallop?) across the desert.
As night fell, the boar came to a stop at a creek bed and snorted. He started drinking the muddy water, then ripped a saguaro cactus out of the ground and chewed it, needles and all.
"This is as far as he'll go," Grover said. "We need to get off while he's eating."
Nobody needed convincing. They slipped off the boar's back while he was busy ripping up cacti. Then we waddled away as best we could with our saddle sores.
After its third saguaro and another drink of muddy water, the boar squealed and belched, then whirled around and galloped back toward the east.
"It likes the mountains better," Percy guessed.
"I can't blame it," Thalia said. "Look."
Ahead of them a two-lane road half covered with sand. On the other side of the road was a cluster of buildings too small to be a town: a boarded-up house, a taco shop that looked like it hadn't been open since before Zoë Nightshade was born, and a white stucco post office with a sign that said GILA CLAW, ARIZONA hanging crooked above the door. Beyond that was a range of hills... but then Aurora noticed they weren't regular hills. The countryside was way too flat for that. The hills were enormous mounds of old cars, appliances, and other scrap metal. It was a junkyard that seemed to go on forever.
"Whoa," Percy said.
"Something tells me we're not going to find a car rental here," Thalia said. She looked at Grover. "I don't suppose you got another wild boar up your sleeve?"
Grover was sniffing the wind, looking nervous.
He fished out his acorns and threw them into the sand, then played his pipes. They rearranged themselves in a pattern that made no sense to me, but Grover looked concerned.
"That's us," he said. "Those six nuts right there."
"Which one is me?" Percy asked.
"The little deformed one," Zoë suggested.
The Hall laughed.
"Oh, shut up."
Aurora snorted.
"That cluster right there," Grover said, pointing to the left, "that's trouble."
"A monster?" Thalia asked.
Grover looked uneasy. "I don't smell anything, which doesn't make sense. But the acorns don't lie. Our next challenge..."
He pointed straight toward the junkyard. With the sunlight almost gone now, the hills of metal looked like something on an alien planet.
Hades and Nico looked at Aurora, she nodded her head. The Father Son both took a deep breath.
They decided to camp for the night and try the junkyard in the morning. None of them wanted to go Dumpster-diving in the dark.
Zoë and Bianca produced Six sleeping bags and foam mattresses out of their backpacks. Aurora was reminded of her Extension Charm,because the rucksacks were tiny, but must've been enchanted to hold so much stuff. She'd noticed their bows and quivers were also magic. Aurora never really thought about it, but when the Hunters needed them, they just appeared slung over their backs. And when they didn't, they were gone.
The night got chilly fast, so Grover and Percy collected old boards from the ruined house, and Thalia zapped them with an electric shock to start a campfire. Of course Aurora could use Pyrokinesis but she decided not to reveal much about her.
"What is Pyrokinesis?" George asked
"Fire Producing and Manipulation." Atlas answered
Pretty soon they were about as comfy as you can get in a rundown ghost town in the middle of nowhere.
"The stars are out," Zoë said.
She was right. There were millions of them, with no city lights to turn the sky orange.
"Amazing," Bianca said. "I've never actually seen the Milky Way."
"This is nothing," Zoë said. "In the old days, there were more. Whole constellations have disappeared because of human light pollution."
Gods nodded their heads sadly.
"You talk like you're not human," Percy said.
Zoe raised an eyebrow. "I am a Hunter. I care what happens to the wild places of the world. Can the same be said for thee?"
"For you," Thalia corrected. "Not thee"
"But you use you for the beginning of a sentence."
"And for the end," Thalia said. "No thou. No thee. Just you"
Zoë threw up her hands in exasperation. "I hate this language. It changes too often!"
Grover sighed. He was still looking up at the stars like he was thinking about the light pollution problem. "If only Pan were here, he would set things right."
Zoë nodded sadly.
"Maybe it was the coffee," Grover said. "I was drinking coffee, and the wind came. Maybe if I drank more coffee..."
Aurora was pretty sure coffee had nothing to do with what had happened in Cloudcroft, but she didn't have the heart to tell Grover. She thought about the rubber rat and the tiny birds that had suddenly come alive when the wind blew. It seemed like Percy had the same questions Because he asked Grover the question that was Haunting Aurora
"Grover, do you really think that was Pan? I mean, I know you want it to be."
"He sent us help," Grover insisted. "I don't know how or why. But it was his presence. After this quest is done, I'm going back to New Mexico and drinking a lot of coffee. It's the best lead we've gotten in two thousand years. I was so close."
Percy didn't answer. Aurora saw how he didn't want to squash Grover's hopes.
"What I want to know," Thalia said, looking at Aurora, "is how you destroyed one of the zombies. There are a lot more out there somewhere. We need to figure out how to fight them."
Aurora shook her head. "I don't know. I just stabbed it and it went up in flames."
"Maybe there's something special about your knife," Percy said.
"It's just a Celestial Bronze dagger Perce." Aurora said as she slid her ring off and in her hand was the dagger that her Papa gifted her, for so long ago.
Poseidon smiled at the mention of the Dagger
They all stared at the said dagger intently.
"It doesn't look like any dagger I have ever seen, Aurora." Thalia said
"Who gifted to you?" Bianca asked
"My Father, Poseidon." Aurora said truthfully.
"Dad gave it to you?!" Percy bellowed
"Yes, Percy, this is or was one of my first weapon." Aurora said
"That is why I felt strong connection to the Sea." Zoë said
"Maybe you have to hit the skeleton in a certain spot," Percy said.
Aurora looked uncomfortable with everybody paying attention to her.
"Never mind," Zoë told her. "We will find the answer. In the meantime, we should plan our next move. When we get through this junkyard, we must continue west. If we can find a road, we can hitchhike to the nearest city. I think that would be Las Vegas."
"No!" Bianca said. "Not there!"
She looked really freaked out, like she'd just been dropped off the steep end of a roller coaster.
Zoë frowned. "Why?"
Bianca took a shaky breath. "I... I think we stayed there for a while. Nico and I. When we were traveling. And then, I can't remember..."
Suddenly Percy had a really bad thought. He allegedly remembered what Bianca had told him about Nico and her staying in a hotel for a while. Percy met Graver's eyes, and Aurora got the feeling they were thinking the same thing.
"Bianca," Percy said. "That hotel you stayed at. Was it possibly called the Lotus Hotel and Casino?"
Her eyes widened. "How could you know that?"
"Oh, great," Percy said.
"Wait," Thalia said. "What is the Lotus Casino?"
"A couple of years ago," Percy said, "Grover, Annabeth, and I got trapped there. It's designed so you never want to leave. We stayed for about an hour. When we came out, five days had passed. It makes time speed up."
"No," Bianca said. "No, that's not possible."
"You said somebody came and got you out," Aurora remembered.
"Yes."
"What did he look like? What did he say?"
"I... I don't remember. Please, I really don't want to talk about this."
Zoë sat forward, her eyebrows knit with concern. "You said that Washington, D.C., had changed when you went back last summer. You didn't remember the subway being there."
"Yes, but—"
"Bianca," Zoë said, "can you tell me the name of the president of the United States right now?"
"Don't be silly," Bianca said. She told them the correct name of the president. "And who was the president before that?" Zoë asked.
Bianca thought for a while. "Roosevelt."
Zoë swallowed. "Theodore or Franklin'?"
"Franklin," Bianca said. "F.D.R."
"Now that's strange." Fred said
"Like FDR Drive?" Percy asked. Because seriously, that's about all he knew about F.D.R.
Atlas, Apollo and Hermes snorted.
"Bianca," Aurora said sternly. "F.D.R. was not the last president. That was about seventy years ago."
"That's impossible," Bianca said. "I... I'm not that old."
She stared at her hands as if to make sure they weren't wrinkled.
Thalia's eyes turned sad. "It's okay, Bianca, The important thing is you and Nico are safe. You made it out."
"But how?" Percy said. "We were only in there for an hour and we barely escaped. How could you have escaped after being there for so long?"
"I told you." Bianca looked about ready to cry. "A man came and said it was time to leave. And—"
"But who? Why did he do it?"
Before she could answer, they were hit with a blazing light from down the road.
The headlights of a car appeared out of nowhere. Aurora couldn't believe she thought about this but she was half hoping it was Apollo, come to give them a ride again, but the engine was way too silent for the sun chariot, and besides, it was nighttime. They grabbed their sleeping bags and got out of the way as a deathly white limousine slid to a stop in front of them.
The back door of the limo opened right next to Percy. Before he could step away, the point of a sword touched my throat.
Aurora drew her sword and she also heard the sound of Zoë and Bianca drawing their bows. As the owner of the sword got out of the car, Percy moved back very slowly. He had to, because he was pushing the point under my chin.
He smiled cruelly. "Not so fast now, are you, punk?"
He was a big man with a crew cut, a black leather biker's jacket, black jeans, a white muscle shirt, and combat boots. Wraparound shades hid his eyes, but Aurora knew what was behind those glasses—hollow sockets filled with flames.
"Ares," Percy growled.
The war god glanced at my friends. "At ease, people."
He snapped his fingers, and their weapons fell to the ground.
"This is a friendly meeting." He dug the point of his blade a little farther under my chin. "Of course I'd like to take your head for a trophy, but someone wants to see you. And I never behead my enemies in front of a lady."
"What lady?" Thalia asked.
Ares looked over at her. "Well, well. I heard you were back."
He lowered his sword and pushed Percy away.
"Thalia, daughter of Zeus," Ares mused. "You're not hanging out with very good company, except for Marcella of course." He sent a wink at her direction.
Atlas's, Bellona's, Ambrose's, Daemon's, Hades's, the Sea and Dark Crew's eyes narrowed
"What's your business, Ares?" she said. "Who's in the car?"
Ares smiled, enjoying the attention. "Oh, I doubt she wants to meet the rest of you. Particularly not them." He jutted his chin toward Zoe and Bianca. "Why don't you all go get some tacos while you wait? Only take Percy a few minutes." He then grinned at Aurora, "and our Precious Marcella over here."
Aurora's eyes narrowed.
"We will not leave them alone with thee, Lord Ares," Zoë said.
"Besides," Grover managed, "the taco place is closed."
Ares snapped his fingers again. The lights inside the taqueria suddenly blazed to life. The boards flew off the door and the CLOSED sign flipped to OPEN. "You were saying, goat boy?"
"Go on," Percy told his friends. "I'll handle this."
Percy tried to sound more confident than he felt. Aurora didn't think Ares was fooled.
"You heard the boy," Ares said. "He's big and strong. He's got things under control."
Their friends reluctantly headed over to the taco restaurant. Ares regarded Percy with loathing, then opened the limousine door like a chauffeur.
"Get inside, punk," he said. "And mind your manners. She's not as forgiving of rudeness as I am."
Ares shoved him, in the car shutting with such force, normal car would've rattled. Then he turned to Aurora.
Aurora scoffed, seeing Mars Ultor again wasn't in her schedule.
"Well, Well, My favourite Niece and blessing is here." Mars said.
"Hello, Uncle." Aurora gritted
"Hey, after all you have to thank me." Mars said
"And For what exactly, must I thank you? For making me go on a stupid mission, to retrieve your lost thing?!" Aurora said
"Last time I checked. You volunteered to Go on the mission to retrieve my Sword and Dear mother's peacock." Mars said
"Why are you here?" Aurora asked
"Because of the Lady, and can't I visit my niece and blessing from time to time?!" He answered simply
"The one who is sitting in the Car?" Aurora asked
"Mmm." Mars said
"Who is she?"
"You shall meet her just a little patience."
Aurora rolled her eyes.
"Did you know after Saturn found out about you Being on a Mission with Graeci he sent troops to Camp Jupiter?"
"What?!" Aurora bellowed her eyes widened
"I knew that would get your attention."
"The Senate is in a panic. It Hasn't been this bad since Aurelia and Celeste died." Mars added
"What about...."
"Your friends? Oh they are fine don't worry." Mars said
"Is Atlas....?"
"He is alive trust me, Jupiter would have our heads on spikes, if something happened to his precious boy. So, as of now he is just pacing around the Council Room and only shouts at us from time to time. So, my guess is that little Jove is fine." Mars said
Jupiter nodded his head.
"What about Jason, Victoria, Alexander?"
"They are fine. Kid."
"Almost forgot to tell you, Your mother sends her greetings." Mars added
"She does?" Aurora said almost sounding like a question. But you couldn't blame her, she had never met her Godly Mother. So when Mars came and told her, her Mother Bellona sent her greetings, she was doubtful, for 13 years she has never heard anything from her mother. And now the fact that she sent her greetings didn't seem right in her mind.
"I was always there for you, Marcella, maybe you didn't see me but I was there." Bellona said to Aurora
Aurora nodded her head.
"Aww, is little Aurora sad because her mother never shows up?" Mars mocked Aurora
"No. I am just surprised, I haven't heard from her my entire Life and now suddenly she sends her greetings.... It's odd." Aurora said quickly
Mars nodded his head to himself.
"Listen, Kid. You think you know everything, yet, you know nothing. I must admit, I have what people call a soft spot for you, me and your Mother both have. We have a lot of hopes on you. You are destined for greatness, so don't let that Sea Slug of a Half-Brother, take away the spotlight from you. And remember War will always be your Allay." He said
Poseidon glared at Ares.
Aurora nodded her head.
"Here take these. You are going to need them." Mars said as he handed Aurora three daggers the first one was Silver, the other was Stygian Ice, the third also know as the last one was Stygian Iron.
Aurora stared at the Daggers curiously.
"Oh yes. They turn into jewellery, but I am afraid you will have to find out yourself, along with the Weapons powers of course." Mars said
Just when Aurora was going to ask what did he mean, Percy stumbled out of the Limousine. Red Faced.
"In you go now, your majesty." Ares said as he lightly nudged Aurora and opened the Door for her to get into the Limousine.
When Aurora got into the Limousine, she saw her worst Nightmare in flesh. Venus or Aphrodite as Greeks Call her, before her two dark brown striking pair of eyes. The Goddess she was most Terrified of was sitting before her.
"You are terrified of Aphrodite?" Hermes asked
"Yes. I am generally Terrified of Love Deities." Aurora said truthfully
"We are." Atlas added
"Why?" Apollo asked shocked
"Why?! WHY?! Do you guys know those Legends and Stories about Yourselves?!" Atlas asked shocked
"Wars start because of Love. Love is the one thing you can't control, it can destroy, chew you up and swallow you without any mercy." Aurora said
"Love makes someone do Unthinkable and Unimaginable things." Atlas added. "So forgive us for being Terrified of Love Deities that people call weak." He added
"Not to mention Lady Aphrodite and Venus are one of the Scariest Goddesses in Legends." Aurora added.
"Aww, Hello Dear." Aphrodite said. Aurora was looking for words to describe her yet none came to her mind. She could speak in 10 languages, but she couldn't find words to describe Aphrodite/Venus's beauty in any of them.
Aurora also wanted to sue Sandro Botticelli for painting Venus because surly that Venus looked nothing like the Goddess before her eyes. Her appearance changed frequently, but mostly she had striking Ice Blue eyes with Onyx Black hair, that eerily looked like Hades/Pluto.
Wait Hold Up -
Many jaws dropped in the Hall.
"Is Lady Aphrodite/Venus looking for any Mistresses? Asking for a Fired of course." Blase said
Aphrodite/Venus winked. While Aurora glared at Blase.
"Aww, you are so so Beautiful, Aurora. You get more and more beautiful everyday after all my Blessing always works doesn't it?" Aphrodite said
Aurora's jaw dropped, she was in a trance after she came out of whatever spell or trance it was it could have been centuries, days, weeks, Millenniums. Or exactly 14 seconds. She greeted the Goddess "Hello, Lady."
"Oh, Quit the formalities dear, after all I am your many times Grandmother." Aphrodite/Venus said
Aurora's jaw dropped even more
The Hall's jaw also dropped.
"That... that explains a lot of things." Mattheo said
Hades glared at him.
"What?" Aurora said in a whisper shout
"Why do you think you are so beautiful?" Aphrodite said
"Ummm." Was Aurora's answer
"Now, I want to know everything from that Quest with your Brother, when you two went in the Underworld." Venus said
"Ummm, Jupiter and Juno send us on a Quest to retrieve...."
"Shush now. Not that boring part, they sent you to retrieve a shield so what? Boring I wanted to hear the part when you met Hades." Aphrodite said
"I met Hades."
"Aha and?"
"I talked to him."
"And?"
"And?"
Aphrodite rolled her eyes. "Still in Denial huh?"
Aurora scrunched her eyebrows
"When you first saw Hades/Pluto what were your emotions?"
Aurora went silent she didn't know if she should've said this "When I went in the Underworld.... I felt... at home."
"Finally we are getting somewhere." Venus said
"And when I saw Hades/Pluto...." Aurora started to say
"Yes..." Aphrodite said
"I was mesmerised?" Aurora said sounding like a question
"By who?" Aphrodite asked suspiciously
"By Him." Aurora divulged still shocked by her words of choice
Hades smirked. While Poseidon rolled his eyes
"Aha. I knew we would get somewhere." Aphrodite said clapping her hands.
"Now, tell me how is Siren's song?" Venus asked
Aurora stared at her shocked.
"Your Siren's song is very powerful. It's not something you have to be scornful of." Venus added
"I know." Aurora said
"The Sea is your greatest allay." Venus added
"I know the Sea is in my Blood." Aurora said
Poseidon smirked
Venus nodded her head.
"Good. Now, I know that Chaos has some big plans for you, that i unfortunately can't meddle with including your Love Life, and nor Eros, we are restricted from interfering in both you and your brother's life." Aphrodite said
Aurora silently thanked Chaos.
Chaos, Ambrose and Atlas laughed.
"But. You have my full support." Aphrodite added and with that she kissed Aurora's forehead opened the door for Aurora. And with that her audience with the Goddess of Love, Beauty, Lust, Sexuality, Desire and Pleasure was ended.
When Aurora got out of the Limousine everyone was staring at her in awe or worriedly, she couldn't quite decide.
"What?" Aurora demanded
"Nothing." Thalia said snapping out of whatever daze she was.
"You also had an audience with Lady Aphrodite, did you not Aurora?" Zoë said breaking the silence.
"Yes." Aurora answered truthfully
"What did she say?" Bianca asked
"Nothing much." Aurora answered
Percy was going to ask further but decided to drop it. After all she was his little sister, and if she wanted to talk about it she would've.
"So?!" Percy said, trying to get the attention off his sister which Aurora was very thankful of, "how do we get out of here?"
"That way," Zoë said. "That is west."
"How can you tell?"
In the light of the full moon, Aurora was could see her roll her eyes at her brother. "Ursa Major is in the north," she said, "which means that must be west."
She pointed west, then at the northern constellation, which was a little hard to make out because there were so many other stars, but Astoria/Delos's and Nyx/Nox's blessings helped Aurora.
"Oh, yeah," Percy said. "The bear thing."
Zoë looked offended. "Show some respect. It was a fine bear. A worthy opponent."
"You act like it was real."
"Guys," Grover broke in. "Look!"
They'd reached the crest of a junk mountain. Piles of metal objects glinted in the moonlight: broken heads of bronze horses, metal legs from human statues, smashed chariots, tons of shields and swords and other weapons, along with more modern things, like cars that gleamed gold and silver, refrigerators, washing machines, and computer monitors.
"It is truly a junk yard." Lucius muttered
"Whoa," Bianca said. "That stuff... some of it looks like real gold."
"It is," Thalia said grimly. "Like Percy said, don't touch anything. This is the junkyard of the gods."
"Junk?" Grover picked up a beautiful crown made of gold, silver, and jewels. It was broken on one side, as if it had been split by an axe. "You call this junk?"
He bit off a point and began to chew. "It's delicious!"
Thalia swatted the crown out of his hands. "I'm serious!"
"Look!" Bianca said. She raced down the hill, tripping over bronze coils and golden plates. She picked up a bow that glowed silver in moonlight. "A Hunter's bow!"
She yelped in surprise as the bow began to shrink, and became a hair clip shaped like a crescent moon. "It's just like Percys sword!"
Aurora's face was grim. "Leave it, Bianca."
"But—"
"It is here for a reason. Anything thrown away in this junkyard must stay in this yard. It is defective. Or cursed."
Bianca reluctantly set the hair clip down.
"I don't like this place," Thalia said. She gripped the shaft of her spear.
"You think we're going to get attacked by killer refrigerators?" Percy asked.
Anteros, Theseus, Asopos, Hermes and Atlas laughed
She gave him a hard look. "Your sister is right, Percy. Things get thrown away here for a reason. Now come on, let's get across the yard."
"That's the second time you've agreed with Zoë," Percy muttered, but Thalia ignored him.
They started picking their way through the hills and valleys of junk. The stuff seemed to go on forever, and if it hadn't been for Ursa Major and Aurora's talent to read the Constellations and Stars, they would've gotten lost. All the hills pretty much looked the same.
Aurora would like to say they left the stuff alone, but except for her pretty much everyone checked out something, Percy for example was one of them in gif defence 'there was too much cool junk not to check out some of it.'
He found an electric guitar shaped like Apollo's lyre that was so sweet allegedly Percy had to pick it up.
Grover found a broken tree made out of metal. It had been chopped to pieces, but some of the branches still had golden birds in them, and they whirred around when Grover picked them up, trying to flap their wings.
Finally, they saw the edge of the junkyard about half a mile ahead of us, the lights of a highway stretching through the desert. But between them and the road...
"What is that?" Bianca gasped.
Ahead of them was a hill much bigger and longer than the others. It was like a metal mesa, the length of a football field and as tall as goalposts. At one end of the mesa was a row of ten thick metal columns, wedged tightly together.
Bianca frowned. "They look like—"
"Toes," Grover said.
Bianca nodded. "Really, really large toes."
Zoë and Thalia exchanged nervous looks.
"Let's go around," Aurora said. "Far around."
"But the road is right over there," Percy protested.
"Quicker to climb over."
Ping.
Aurora made her Golden Gladius appear in her hands and lit it up, Thalia hefted her spear and Zoë drew her bow, but then Aurora and Percy realised it was only Grover. He had thrown a piece of scrap metal at the toes and hit one, making a deep echo, as if the column were hollow.
"Why did you do that?" Zoë demanded.
Grover cringed. "I don't know. I, uh, don't like fake feet?"
The Greek demigods snorted.
"Come on." Thalia looked at Percy .
"Around."
To Aurora's surprise her Brother didn't argue. The toes were starting to freak him out, too, she guessed. Aurora meant, who sculpted ten-foot- tall metal toes and sticks them in a junkyard?
After several minutes of walking, they finally stepped onto the highway, an abandoned but well-lit stretch of black asphalt.
"We made it out," Zoë said. "Thank the gods."
But apparently the gods didn't want to be thanked. At that moment, Aurora heard a sound like a thousand trash compactors crushing metal.
"Fuck." Atlas cursed
She whirled around. Behind them, the scrap mountain was boiling, rising up. The ten toes tilted over, and Aurora realised why they looked like toes. They were toes. The thing that rose up from the metal was a bronze giant in full Greek battle armour. He was impossibly tall—a skyscraper with legs and arms. He gleamed wickedly in the moonlight. He looked down at them, and his face was deformed.
The left side was partially melted off. His joints creaked with rust, and across his armored chest, written in thick dust by some giant finger, were the words WASH ME.
"Talos!" Zoë gasped.
"Who—who's Talos?" Percy stuttered.
The Big three looked worried about their children's safety.
"One of Hephaestus's creations," Aurora said. "But that can't be the original. It's too small. A prototype, maybe. A defective model."
The metal giant didn't like the word defective.
He moved one hand to his sword belt and drew his weapon. The sound of it coming out of its sheath was horrible, metal screeching against metal. The blade was a hundred feet long, easy. It looked rusty and dull, but Aurora didn't figure that mattered. Getting hit with that thing would be like getting hit with a battleship.
"Someone took something," Zoë said.
"Who took something?" She stared accusingly at Percy.
The Sea Crew Laughed.
"Oh Chaos, leave poor Percy alone. He went on a Quest just to prove he wasn't a Thief." Aurora said
"Yeah, he wasn't the Lightning Their." Atlas added laughing
Percy shook his head. "I'm a lot of things, but I'm not a thief."
Bianca didn't say anything. Aurora could swear she looked guilty, but she didn't have much time to think about it, because the giant defective Talos took one step toward them, closing half the distance and making the ground shake.
"That's suspicious." Atlas said his eyes narrowed
"Run!" Grover yelped.
Great advice, except that it was hopeless. At a leisurely stroll, this thing could outdistance us easily.
They split up, the way they'd done with the Nemean Lion. Thalia drew her shield and held it up as she ran down the highway. The giant swung his sword and took out a row of power lines, which exploded in sparks and scattered across Thalia's path.
"Great." Zeus and Jason muttered
Aurora stared to make her way towards the metal Giant, which was either very stupid or very Courageous.
"Definitely stupid." Atlas said
Zoë's arrows whistled toward the creature's face but shattered harmlessly against the metal. Grover brayed like a baby goat and went climbing up a mountain of metal.
Bianca and Percy ended up next to each other, hiding behind a broken chariot.
"You took something," Percy said. "That bow."
"No!" she said, but her voice was quivering.
"Give it back!" Percy said. "Throw it down!"
"I... I didn't take the bow! Besides, it's too late."
"What did. you take?"
Before she could answer, Percy heard a massive creaking noise, and a shadow blotted out the sky.
"Move!" He tore down the hill, Bianca right behind him, as the giant's foot smashed a crater in the ground where we'd been hiding.
"Hey, Talos!" Grover yelled, but the monster raised his sword, looking down at Bianca and Percy.
Poseidon and Hades looked worried.
Grover played a quick melody on his pipes. Over at the highway, the downed power lines began to dance. Percy understood what Grover was going to do a split second before it happened. One of the poles with power lines still attached flew toward Talos's back leg and wrapped around his calf The lines sparked and sent a jolt of electricity up the giant's backside.
Talos whirled around, creaking and sparking. Grover had bought us a few seconds.
"Come on!" Percy told Bianca. But she stayed frozen. From her pocket, she brought out a small metal figurine, a statue of a god. "It... it was for Nico. It was the only statue he didn't have."
"How can you think of Mythomagic at a time like this?" Percy said.
Hades looked saddened.
There were tears in her eyes.
"Throw it down," Percy said. "Maybe the giant will leave us alone." She dropped it reluctantly, but nothing happened.
The giant kept coming after Grover. It stabbed its sword into a junk hill, missing Grover by a few feet, but scrap metal made an avalanche over him, and then Percy couldn't see him anymore.
"No!" Thalia yelled. She pointed her spear, and a blue arc of lightning shot out, hitting the monster in his rusty knee, which buckled. The giant collapsed, but immediately started to rise again. It was hard to tell if it could feel anything. There weren't any emotions in its half- melted face, but Percy got the sense that it was about as ticked off as a twenty-story-tall metal warrior could be.
He raised his foot to stomp and Percy saw that Aurora had cut a small hole, next to his Achilles's tendon, if one tried they could fit in it, it seemed like it was supposed to be cut, or there was something inside of it, because there were some words painted above it, which Percy deciphered only after the foot came down:
FOR MAINTENANCE ONLY.
"Crazy-idea time," Percy said.
Bianca looked at him nervously. "Anything."
Percy told her about the maintenance hatch. "There may be a way to control the thing. Switches or something. I'm going to get inside."
"How? You'll have to stand under its foot! You'll be crushed"
"Distract it," Percy said. "I'll just have to time it right."
Bianca's jaw tightened. "No. I'll go."
"No!" Hades and Nico screamed, while Atlas hugged Aurora, to stop her from watching the scene.
"You can't. You're new at this! You'll die."
"It's my fault the monster came after us, tell Aurora I am sorry, and that she has been more of a sister to Nico then I ever was, tell her that.... I am very sorry for the words I have said to her at that meaning, I didn't mean any of it." she said. "It's my responsibility. Here." She picked up the little god statue and pressed it into Percy's hand. "If anything happens, give that to Nico. Tell him... tell him I'm sorry."
"Please no." Hades and Nico said
"Bianca, no!"
But she wasn't waiting for me. She charged at the monster's left foot.
Aurora and Thalia had its attention for the moment. They'd learned that the giant was big but slow. If you could stay close to it and not get smashed, you could run around it and stay alive. At least, it was working so far.
Bianca got right next to the giant's foot, trying to balance herself on the metal scraps that swayed and shifted with his weight.
Zoë yelled, "What are you doing?"
"Get it to raise its foot!" she said.
Zoë shot an arrow toward the monster's face and it flew straight into one nostril. The giant straightened and shook its head.
"Hey, Junk Boy!" Percy yelled. "Down here." He ran up to its big toe and stabbed it with Riptide. The magic blade cut a gash in the bronze.
Unfortunately, his plan worked. Talos looked down at him and raised his foot to squash him like a bug. He didn't see what Bianca was doing. Percy had to turn and run. The foot came down about two inches behind him and he was knocked into the air. Percy hit something hard and sat up, dazed. He'd been thrown into an Olympus-Air refrigerator.
Some of the Gods snorted but quickly covered it with a Cough, because of the glare of Hades.
The monster was about to finish Percy off, but Grover somehow dug himself out of the junk pile. He played his pipes frantically, and his music sent another power line pole whacking against Talos's thigh. The monster turned. Grover should've run, but he must've been too exhausted from the effort of so much magic. He took two steps, fell, and didn't get back up.
"Grover!" Thalia and Percy both ran toward him, but I knew we'd be too late.
The monster raised his sword to smash Grover. Then he froze.
Talos cocked his head to one side, like he was hearing strange new music. He started moving his arms and legs in weird ways, doing the Funky Chicken. Then he made a fist and punched himself in the face.
"Go, Bianca!" Percy said in a whisper shout .
Zoe looked horrified. "She is inside?"
Hades looked ready to punch the screen.
The monster staggered around, and Percy realised they were still in danger. Thalia and Percy grabbed Grover and ran with him toward the highway, Aurora was nowhere to be seen which deeply worried Percy. Zoë was already ahead of us. She yelled, "How will Bianca get out?"
The giant hit itself in the head again and dropped his sword. A shudder ran through his whole body and he staggered toward the power lines.
"Look out!" Percy yelled, but it was too late.
The giant's ankle snared the lines, and blue flickers of electricity shot up his body. He hoped the inside was insulated. Percy had no idea what was going on in there. The giant careened back into the junkyard, and his right hand fell off, landing in the scrap metal with a horrible
CLANG!
His left arm came loose, too. He was falling apart at the joints.
Talos began to run.
"Wait!" Zoë yelled. They ran after him, but there was no way we could keep up. Pieces of the robot kept falling off, getting in their way.
The giant crumbled from the top down: his head, his chest, and finally, his legs collapsed. When we reached the wreckage we searched frantically, yelling Bianca's name. They crawled around in the vast hollow pieces and the legs and the head. They searched until the sun started to rise, but no luck.
Just when Percy thought he lost both his sister and Bianca he heard a voice behind him. "Well that was something." Aurora said smirking.
Percy was gaping.
"What? And where is Bianca?" Aurora asked concerned
"Well this is going to hurt like a Bitch." Atlas said
Suddenly Aurora looked like she was having a heart attack. "No!" She screamed she fell down on her knees.
A/N: (I recommend listening to Cry baby by the Neighbourhood, from 1:25 minutes)
"No, No, No, No." she screamed over and over
Zoë sat down and wept. Percy was stunned to see her cry. he was also stunned to see his sister so broken.
Thalia yelled in rage and impaled her sword in the giant's smashed face.
"We can keep searching," Percy said. "It's light now. We'll find her."
"No we won't," Grover said miserably. "It happened just as it was supposed to."
"What are you talking about?" Percy demanded.
He looked up at me with big watery eyes.
"The prophecy. One shall he lost in the land without rain."
"Not to mention she is dead." Aurora said. "I.... I.... I can feel it." She added with teary eyes.
"Aurora." Percy went over to his sister and tried to touch her shoulder.
"No." Aurora said as she almost ripped Percy's arm.
"Leave." She demanded, she didn't want everyone to find out how she wept and mourned.
"Aurora," Thalia started to say but she was cut off by Aurora.
"I said leave." She demanded in such tone the whole Ground Shook.
Aurora could see fear in Percy's Thalia's and Zoë's eyes as they immediately left.
When Aurora was sure there was no one near her. She started crying uncontrollably, weeping.
Everyone in the Hall saddened.
Hades was on the verge of tears.
♔ ♕ ♖ ♗ ♘ ♙
𝕬𝖙𝖑𝖆𝖘'𝖘 𝕻𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖙 𝕺𝖋 𝖁𝖎𝖊𝖜.
Atlas was currently in front of the Senate, discussing the Strategies for the Invesion.
When he felt something.... Sadness, Mourning. His sister was crying....
"Atlas?" Jason asked
"Earth to Atlas." Alexander said
Atlas's pupils dilated, and he ran out of the Senate room.
Jason could vaguely hear his brother mumbling. "My sister needs me, My sister needs me, My sister need me..." over over and over.
"Now that's a good brother." Billy said
When Atlas teleported to where his sister was residing or he thought she was residing. His jaw dropped, he saw his little sister destroying already fallen metal giant with her Golden Gladius.
"Sister." Atlas divulged
"Brother...." Aurora said as she desperately ran to her brother. And Vice Versa
"She is gone, she is gone, she is gone." Aurora was mumbling over over and over, Atlas immediately wrapped his arms around Aurora, and whispered comforting things to her. Now, Atlas would be lying if he said he knew what on Earth his sister was talking about so he connected their foreheads in order to comfort her even better.
What he saw was devastating, his sister's friends who she was very protective of that she met at Westover Hall. One of them Bianca was dead.....
"She was good, she was good. You hear me?! She was Good. And he killed her. He killed her!" Aurora shouted still weeping uncontrollably. She was definitely in hysterics.
"I am here, Mea. I am here, " Atlas said as he lightly rocked his sister. He let her unleash her emotions.
"It's my fault. I should've protected her. She told me she was safe because I was going to protect her. And I failed her." Aurora said in between hiccups
"It's not your Fault." Atlas said in a comforting manner as he kissed her hair, and stoked it.
"I fail everyone. Everyone dies around me. Everyone I love dies." Aurora said crying
"You love me don't you?" Atlas asked as he made Aurora look at him
"Yeah." Aurora whispered
"Look I am not dead. And you love me." He said as he hugged her once more
Everyone in the hall smiled.
"That doesn't make me feel better." Aurora said
"No, but it should." Atlas said
"I know that It is difficult for you, and it's more that alright to feel that way. Cry it out." He said as he kissed her forehead
He then said. "I don't know how you feel, but I am here to help in any way I can." Aurora cried even more.
He said nothing after that. He just held shivering Aurora in his arms.
♔ ♕ ♖ ♗ ♘ ♙
Aurora disappeared after Bianca's death, and just when Percy thought the prophecy made a mistake by saying "One shall be Lost in a Land without Rain." And that it should've said "Two shall be Lost in a Land without Rain." Aurora walked towards them, with puffy red eyes, it was evident she had been crying and that couldn't get any clearer when she raised her voice.
"I found her body. And I buried her." Aurora said in a raspy voice. What she said was half True, after she cried her eyes out, her brother Atlas, helped her to find Bianca's body, and then the siblings buried Bianca Di Angelo, in their Family Burial Vault.
"Thank you, Ο άγγελός μου and Atlas." Hades said as he wrapped his large hands around Aurora.
"Don't mention it." Aurora whispered
Atlas nodded his head.
♔ ♕ ♖ ♗ ♘ ♙
Now they were here, At the edge of the dump, where they found a tow truck so old it might've been thrown away itself. But the engine started, and it had a full tank of gas, so they decided to borrow it.
"Borrow it?" Sally asked shocked
"Yes, Mrs. Jackson they borrowed it." Hermes said smirking
Thalia drove. She didn't seem as stunned as Zoë or Grover or Percy or Aurora.
From just few seconds of meeting Aurora Percy knew she was a Reserved Person.
Atlas laughed "more like. A person who keeps a very very thick brick wall, between her and a person."
She never showed her emotions or rarely did. So when Aurora, came back with puffy red eyes and raspy voice it was a little difficult for Percy to believe his sister was crying. Even though she made everyone think she was fine. Somehow, even insisted on driving, because she was so detached, she almost caused a Car Crash. So Thalia took the lead.
"Yeah, I mean. For so long I felt my sister was a Psychopath because she never showed any emotion." Verena said
Aurora glared at her.
"The skeletons are still out there," Thalia reminded them. "We need to keep moving."
She navigated them through the desert, under clear blue skies, the sand so bright it hurt to look at. Zoë sat up front with Thalia. Aurora, Grover and Percy sat in the pickup bed, leaning against the tow wench. The air was cool and dry, but the nice weather just seemed like an insult after losing Bianca.
Aurora saw how Percy's hand closed around the little figurine. So she decided to intentionally see what her dear brother was thinking about; he was thinking about the little figurine in his arms that had cost Bianca's life. He still couldn't even tell what god it was supposed to be. Nico would know.
After staring at the little Figurine. Candidly all Aurora wanted to do with it was to toss it Somewhere far, far away. It was insulting to her that Bianca died just to give a stupid figurine to her brother. Especially when The same Brother's last words to her were "She is not my Sister any longer." Alright, maybe that wasn't Nico's exact words but the meaning was that.
Aurora realised the little figurine was her Favourite God. Pluto or Hades or Aidoneus. That made Aurora sadden more it was the only god Nico didn't have. And he especially wanted the figurine of that God when he asked Aurora who was her favourite God and she answered Hades.
Hades smiled sadly.
It felt stupid. Everything felt stupid and meaningless. There was a Battle at Camp. Aurora was absent, Bianca thought Aurora would keep her safe. Yet, she disappeared when she was needed the most....
Aurora came to a conclusion that, If. If Nico blamed Aurora for his sister's death Aurora would gladly take the blame. It was her fault. She was the problem. Since her first breath.... First she killed her mother, then her Father and Adoptive Family now Bianca. Maybe, what they said about her was right. Everywhere she went she brought Misfortune and death upon everyone....
"Listen to me Aurora. Do not Blame yourself." Hades said as he gently lifted Aurora's chin. She reluctantly nodded.
Poseidon embraced his Daughter. And so did Amphitrite.
And Atlas.... It is because of her that Atlas's life is.... Well, Shit. She ruined his life.
"Aurora you. Never ever ruined my life. If it wasn't you. I wouldn't have been here." Atlas said truthfully.
"It should've been me," Percy said snapping Aurora from her never fading and chaotic thoughts. "I should've gone into the giant."
"No, I should've." Aurora almost said. But she was too miserable to do so. She was drowning. Even though she is a Daughter of Poseidon and was immune to drowning. Her depression or whatever that was. Was swallowing and chewing her up. And she couldn't do anything. She was a Failure.
"You aren't a Failure, Aurora." Poseidon said.
"And you will never will be." Bellona said
"You are the best thing that happened to us." Amphitrite said.
"Don't say that!" Grover panicked. "It's bad enough Annabeth is gone, and now Bianca. Do you think I could stand it if..."
He sniffled. "Do you think anybody else would be my best friend?"
"Ah, Grover..."
He wiped under his eyes with an oily cloth that left his face grimy, like he had on war paint. "I'm... I'm okay."
But he wasn't okay. Ever since the encounter in New Mexico—whatever had happened when that wild wind blew through—he seemed really fragile, even more emotional than usual. Aurora was afraid to talk to him about it, because he might start bawling.
Percy thought At least there's one good thing about having a friend who gets freaked out more than you do. He realized that he couldn't stay depressed Percy had to set aside thinking about Bianca and keep them going forward, the way Thalia was doing. Percy wondered what she and Zoë were talking about in the front of the truck. Percy also thought about his sister and how he must comfort her. At that Aurora scoffed. The only person who could comfort her already did and now was back in New Rome fighting against Saturn's troops.
Atlas nodded his head.
The tow truck ran out of gas at the edge of a river canyon. That was just as well, because the road dead-ended.
Thalia got out and slammed the door. Immediately, one of the tires blew. "Great. What now?"
Aurora raised her head as she scanned the horizon. There wasn't much to see. Desert in all directions, occasional clumps of barren mountains plopped here and there. The canyon was the only thing interesting. The river itself wasn't very big, maybe fifty yards across, green water with a few rapids, but it carved a huge scar out of the desert. The rock cliffs dropped away below them.
"There's a path," Grover said. "We could get to the river."
Aurora tried to see what he was talking about, and finally noticed a tiny ledge winding down the cliff face.
"That's a goat path,"Percy said.
"So?" he asked.
"The rest of us aren't goats."
"We can make it," Grover said. "I think."
Aurora thought about that. She'd done cliffs before, but she didn't like them. For example one time, she almost fell, when she and her brother were on a mission to retrieve Apollo's Lyre, if her brother didn't catch her, that Misson would've been her downfall. Then she looked over at Thalia and saw how pale she'd gotten. Her problem with heights... she'd never be able to do it.
"No," Aurora said. "It seems to me we must go farther upstream."
Grover said, "But—"
"Come on," Percy said. "A walk won't hurt us."
The siblings glanced at Thalia. Her eyes said a quick Thank you.
They followed the river about half a mile before coming to an easier slope that led down to the water. On the shore was a canoe rental operation that was closed for the season, but Percy left a stack of golden drachmas on the counter and a note saying IOU two canoes.
"We need to go upstream," Zoë said. It was the first time Percy'd heard her speak since the junkyard, and he was worried about how bad she sounded, like somebody with the flu. "The rapids are too swift."
"Leave that to me," Aurora and Percy said together said. They put the canoes in the water.
Thalia pulled Aurora and Percy aside as we were getting the oars. "Thanks for back there."
"Don't mention it." They replied
"Can you two really..." She nodded to the rapids. "You know."
"I think so. Usually I'm good with water."
"Of course we are good with water Percy we are children of Poseidon. To not be good with water would be a crime." Aurora said bitterly.
"Would you take Zoë?" she asked. "I think, ah, maybe you can talk to her."
"She's not going to like that."
"Please? I don't know if I can stand being in the same boat with her. She's... she's starting to worry me."
It was about the last thing Percy wanted to do, but he nodded. Thalia's shoulders relaxed. "I owe you one."
"Two."
"One and a half," Thalia said.
She smiled, and for a second, Aurora could see that Percy remembered that he actually liked her when she wasn't yelling at him. She turned and helped Grover get their canoe into the water.
As it turned out, Aurora and Percy didn't even need to control the currents. As soon as they got in the river, they looked over the edge of the boat and found a couple of naiads staring at them, they even bowed to Aurora.
"Aequoreus genes." Aurora said
They looked like regular teenage girls, the sort you'd see in any mall, except for the fact that they were underwater.
"Hey," Percy said.
While Aurora nodded her head in acknowledgement to them.
They made a bubbling sound that may have been giggling. Percy wasn't sure. He apparently had a hard time understanding naiads.
"We are heading upstream", Percy told them. "Do you think you could—"
Before he could even finish, the naiads each chose a canoe and began pushing them up the river. They started so fast
Grover fell into his canoe with his hooves sticking up in the air.
"I hate naiads," Zoë grumbled.
A stream of water squirted up from the back of the boat and hit Zoë in the face.
"She-devils!" Zoë went for her bow. But Aurora stopped her with a very dangerous stare that made shivers go down your spine.
"Never. And I repeat Never, in the history of forever, ever disrespect Sea Creatures and Underworld creatures before Aurora if you want to live." Atlas said
"Coming from Experience?" Aurora asked amused
"Maybe." Atlas replied.
"Whoa," Percy said. "They're just playing."
"Cursed water spirits. They've never forgiven me."
"Forgiven you for what?"
She slung her bow back over her shoulder. "It was a long time ago. Never mind."
They sped up the river, the cliffs looming up on either side of them.
"What happened to Bianca wasn't your fault," Percy told her. "Either of you, It was my fault. I let her go."
Aurora's jaw twitched, if she just stayed where she was and not lurk in the shadows to find a perfect opportunity to strike, Bianca would've been alive. And poor Nico what was she going to tell him?! Sorry, I let your sister die. He would never forgive her and he had every right to do so.
"I would never blame you, Aurora." Nico said as he hugged her.
Percy probably figured this would give Zoë and Aurora an excuse to start yelling at him. At least that might shake her out of feeling depressed.
Instead, her shoulders slumped. "No, Percy. I pushed her into going on the quest. I didn't listen to Aurora, who wanted Bianca stay to at Camp. I was too anxious. She was a powerful half-blood. She had a kind heart, as well. I... I thought she would be the next lieutenant."
"But you're the lieutenant."
She gripped the strap of her quiver. She looked more tired than I'd ever seen her.
"Nothing can last forever, Percy. Over two thousand years I have led the Hunt, and my wisdom has not improved. Now Artemis herself is in danger."
"Look, you can't blame yourself for that."
"If I had insisted on going with her—"
"You think you could've fought something powerful enough to kidnap Artemis? There's nothing you could have done."
Zoë didn't answer.
The cliffs along the river were getting taller. Long shadows fell across the water, making it a lot colder, even though the day was bright.
Without thinking about it, Percy took Riptide out of my pocket. Zoë looked at the pen, and her expression was pained.
"You made this," he said.
"Who told thee?"
"I had a dream about it."
"We," Aurora added.
Percy stared at her shocked.
She studied them. They was sure she was going to call me crazy, but she just sighed.
"It was a gift. And a mistake."
"Who was the hero?" Percy asked.
Zoë shook her head. "Do not make me say his name. I swore never to speak it again."
"You act like I should know him."
"I am sure you do, hero. Don't all you boys want to be just like him?"
Aurora already knew who it was. But remained silent.
Her voice was so bitter, Percy decided not to ask what she meant. He looked down at Riptide, and for the first time, I wondered if it was cursed.
"Your mother was a water goddess?" Aurora asked.
"Yes, Pleione. She had five daughters. My sisters and I. The Hesperides, she is also your Great Grandmother from Aequoreus line."
"Those were the girls who lived in a garden at the edge of the West. With the golden apple tree and a dragon guarding it." Percy said
"Yes," Zoë said wistfully. "Ladon."
"But weren't there only four sisters'?"
"There are now. I was exiled. Forgotten. Blotted out as if I never existed."
"Why?"
Zoë pointed to his pen. "Because I betrayed my family and helped a hero. You won't find that in the legend either. He never spoke of me. After his direct assault on Ladon failed, I gave him the idea of how to steal the apples, how to trick my father, but he took all the credit."
"But—"
Gurgle, gurgle, the naiad spoke in Aurora's mind. The canoe was slowing down.
Aurora looked ahead, and saw why.
This was as far as they could take them. The river was blocked. A dam the size of a football stadium stood in their path.
"Hoover Dam," Thalia said. "It's huge."
They stood at the river's edge, looking up at a curve of concrete that loomed between the cliffs. People were walking along the top of the dam. They were so tiny they looked like fleas.
The naiads had left with a lot of grumbling— from what Aurora gathered they hated this dam blocking up their nice river, although she didn't blame them, before they left Aurora thanked them too.
The Sea Crew smiled.
Their canoes floated back downstream, swirling in the wake from the dam's discharge vents.
"Seven hundred feet tall," Percy said. "Built in the 1930s."
"Five million cubic acres of water," Thalia said.
Graver sighed. "Largest construction project in the United States." Zoë and Aurora stared at them. "How do you know all that?"
"Annabeth," Percy said. "She liked architecture."
"She was nuts about monuments," Thalia said.
"Spouted facts all the time." Grover sniffled. "So annoying."
"I wish she were here," Percy said.
The others nodded. Aurora and Zoë was still looking at us strangely, but Percy didn't care. It seemed to him like cruel fate that they'd come to Hoover Dam, one of Annabeth's personal favorites, and she wasn't here to see it.
"We should go up there," Percy said. "For her sake. Just to say we've been."
"You are mad," Zoë decided. "But that's where the road is." She pointed to a huge parking garage next to the top of the dam.
"And so, sightseeing it is."
They had to walk for almost an hour before we found a path that led up to the road. It came up on the east side of the river. Then we straggled back toward the dam. It was cold and windy on top. On one side, a big lake spread out, ringed by barren desert mountains. On the other side, the dam dropped away like the world's most dangerous skateboard ramp, down to the river seven hundred feet below, and water that churned from the dam's vents.
Thalia walked in the middle of the road, far away from the edges. Grover kept sniffing the wind and looking nervous. He didn't say anything.
"There's a snack bar in the visitor center," Thalia said.
"You've been here before?" Aurora asked.
"Once. To see the guardians." She pointed to the far end of the dam. Carved into the side of the cliff was a little plaza with two big bronze statues. They looked kind of like Oscar statues with wings.
"They were dedicated to Zeus when the dam was built," Thalia said. "A gift from Athena."
Tourists were clustered all around them. They seemed to be looking at the statues' feet.
Zeus and Athena looked at the screen in confusion.
"What are they doing?" Percy asked.
"Rubbing the toes," Thalia said. "They think it's good luck."
"Why?"
Poseidon, Atlas, Apollo, Hermes, Theseus, Antereos and Asopos died of laughter, Hades chuckled while Zeus and Athena stared at the screen disgusted.
She shook her head. "Mortals get crazy ideas. They don't know the statues are sacred to Zeus, but they know there's something special about them."
"When you were here last, did they talk to you or anything?"
Thalia's expression darkened. Aurora could tell that she'd come here before hoping for exactly that—some kind of sign from her Father. Some connection. "No. They don't do anything. They're just big metal statues."
"Let us find the dam snack bar," Zoë said. "We should eat while we can."
Aurora cracked a smile. "The dam snack bar?"
"Oh so that's where the Dam Joke comes from." Atlas said like he solved the world's biggest mystery.
Zoë blinked. "Yes. What is funny?"
"Nothing," Grover said, trying to keep a straight face. "I could use some dam french fries.
Even Thalia smiled at that. "And I need to use the dam restroom."
Maybe it was the fact that they didn't were so tired and strung out emotionally, but Percy started cracking up, and Aurora Thalia and Grover joined in, while Zoë just looked at them. "I do not understand."
"I want to use the dam water fountain," Grover said.
"And..." Thalia tried to catch her breath. "I want to buy a dam T-shirt."
Aurora and Percy busted up, and he probably would've kept laughing all day, but then he heard a noise:
"Moooo."
The smile melted off his face. Then Aurora and Grover had stopped laughing too. They was looking around, confused. "Did I just hear a cow?"
"A dam cow?" Thalia laughed.
"No," Aurora said. "I'm serious."
Zoë listened. "I hear nothing."
Thalia was looking at the Sea Siblings. "Aurora, Percy, are you two okay?"
"Yeah," Percy said. "You guys go ahead. I'll be right in."
"What's wrong?" Grover asked.
"Nothing," Aurora said.
"I... I just need a minute. To think."
"We," Aurora chined in.
They hesitated, but Aurora guessed they must've looked upset, because they finally went into the visitor center without the Sea Siblings. As soon as they were gone, Aurora and Percy jogged to the north edge of the dam and looked over.
"Moo."
"What is that?" Aurora asked
The Cow was about thirty feet below in the lake, but Aurora could see it clearly
"my friend from Long Island Sound, Bessie the cow serpent." Percy said
Olympians stared at the screen confused.
"I still can't believe you named the Ophiotaurus Bessie." Poseidon said
"Me neither." Aurora said chuckling
Aurora and Percy looked around. There were groups of kids running along the dam. A lot of senior citizens. Some families. But nobody seemed to be paying Bessie any attention yet.
"What are you doing here?" Percy asked it.
"Moo!"
Her voice was urgent, like she was trying to warn them of something.
"How did you get here?" Aurora asked. They were thousands of miles from Long Island, hundreds of miles inland. There was no way it could've swum all the way here. And yet, here it was. Aurora had a vague feelings like she knew what sort of Cow 'Bessie' was yet she couldn't point her finger at
Bessie swam in a circle and butted her head against the side of the dam. "Moo!"
It wanted them to come with her. It was telling them to hurry.
"I can't," Percy told her. "My friends are inside."
She looked at him with her sad brown eyes. Then she gave one more urgent
"Mooo!," did a flip, and disappeared into the water.
Aurora and Percy hesitated. Something was wrong. It was trying to tell them that. Percy considered jumping over the side and following her, but then he tensed. The hairs on his arms bristled. He looked down the dam road to the east and he saw two men walking slowly toward me. They wore gray camouflage outfits that flickered over skeletal bodies.
They passed through a group of kids and pushed them aside. A kid yelled, "Hey!" One of the warriors turned, his face changing momentarily into a skull.
"Ah!" the kid yelled, and his whole group backed away.
"Leave." Aurora said urgently.
"What? What about you?" Percy asked
"I shall handle them. Remember? I destroyed one of them."
"But...." The glare Aurora sent stopped Percy from arguing further as he ran for the visitor center.
The Skeletons made their way towards Aurora.
"No, No, No." Atlas said, Hades and the rest of Aurora's Family and friends took a deep breath.
Aurora slid her ring off and lit up Ignis,
"Hello there." Aurora said in a Dead Language
"How did she knew Dead Language?" Dumbuldore asked
"She is my Soulmate and descendant of Umbras and Blackfires." Hades said like it explained everything.
"Andromeda, please move away, we aren't here to hurt you." One of skeletons said
"Then, why are you attacking me?" Aurora asked
"We would never attack you Mi'Lady we are attacking your Companions."
Aurora hesitated.
"We promised them we wouldn't hurt you."
"Who did you promise?" Aurora asked
"Who did they promise?" Draco asked
"The Films will show." Atlas said bitterly
"I am afraid we can't tell you Mi'Lady."
"Now where is Perseus Jackson?"
Aurora stared at the Skeletons, She mentally cursed herself.
"Let them through." A voice said in her head.
"I cannot." Aurora said in her head.
"Tell them, he went to the Water Fountain." The same voice said
Aurora took a deep breath. "Fine, I shall tell you."
The skeletons bowed.
"He is at the Water Fountain." Aurora said. The skeletons immediately left. Aurora wished her brother wasn't actually at the Water Fountain.
♔ ♕ ♖ ♗ ♘ ♙
After that incident with Skeletons, Aurora found the others at the The cafe was packed with kids enjoying the best part of the tour—the dam lunch. Thalia, Zoë, and Grover were just sitting down with their food.
Atlas, Antereos, Theseus, Asopos, Apollo and Hermes were wheezing.
Of course they questioned where was Percy but she decided to lie and hide her encounter with the Skeletons. She simply said that the Skeletons attacked them and she and Percy ran other directions. And Now she was here.
Few Minutes later Percy ran up to them too.
"We need to leave," Percy gasped. "Now!"
"But we just got our burritos!" Thalia said.
Zoë stood up, muttering an Ancient Greek curse. "He's right! Look."
The cafe windows wrapped all the way around the observation floor, which gave them a beautiful panoramic view of the skeletal army that had come to kill them except Aurora of course.
"Most important thing is they didn't try to kill Aurora." Mattheo said, Aurora's Family and Friends nodded their heads.
Aurora counted two on the east side of the dam road, blocking the way to Arizona. Three more on the west side, guarding Nevada. All of them were armed with batons and pistols.
But their immediate problem was a lot closer. The three skeletal warriors who'd been chasing Percy in the turbine room now appeared on the stairs. They saw him from across the cafeteria and clattered their teeth.
"Elevator!" Aurora said. They bolted that direction, but the doors opened with a pleasant ding, and three more warriors stepped out. Every warrior was accounted for, minus the one Aurora had blasted to flames in New Mexico. They were completely surrounded.
Then Grover had a brilliant, totally Grover-like idea.
"Burrito fight!" he yelled, and flung his Guacamole Grande at the nearest skeleton.
The Gods, Romans and Wixen stared at the Screen shocked.
Now, if you have never been hit by a flying burrito, count yourself lucky. In terms of deadly projectiles, it's right up there with grenades and cannonballs.
Atlas, Theseus, Asopos, Percy, Apollo, Hermes were wheezing
Grover's lunch hit the skeleton and knocked his skull clean off his shoulders. Aurora wasn't not sure what the other children in the cafe saw, but they went crazy and started throwing their burritos and baskets of Crisps and Fizzy Drinks at each other, shrieking and screaming.
The skeletons tried to aim their guns, but it was hopeless. Bodies and food and drinks were flying everywhere.
In the chaos, Aurora, Percy and Thalia tackled the other three skeletons on the stairs and sent them flying into the condiment table. Then they all raced downstairs, Guacamole Grandes whizzing past our heads.
"What now?" Grover asked as we burst outside.
Aurora didn't have an answer. The warriors on the road were closing in from either direction. They ran across the street to the pavilion with the winged bronze statues, but that just put their backs to the mountain.
The skeletons moved forward, forming a crescent around them. Their brethren from the cafe were running up to join them. One was still putting its skull back on its shoulders. Another was covered in ketchup and mustard. Two more had burritos lodged in their rib cages. They didn't look happy about it. They drew batons and advanced.
"Five against eleven," Zoë muttered. "And they cannot die."
"It's been nice adventuring with you guys," Grover said, his voice trembling.
Something shiny caught the corner of Percy's eye. He glanced behind her at the statue's feet. "Whoa," Percy said. "Their toes really are bright."
"Percy!" Thalia said. "This isn't the time."
But he couldn't help staring at the two giant bronze guys with tall bladed wings like letter openers. They were weathered brown except for their toes, which shone like new pennies from all the times people had rubbed them for good luck.
Good luck. The blessing of Zeus.
Aurora finally understood Percy's idea.
"Thalia," Aurora said. "Pray to your dad."
She glared at her. "He never answers."
"Just this once," Percy pleaded. "Ask for help. I think... I think the statues can give us some luck."
Six skeletons raised their guns. The other five came forward with batons. Fifty feet away. Forty feet.
"Do it!" Percy yelled.
"No!" Thalia said. "He won't answer me."
The Gods except Hera Glared at them.
"How could you be so heartless?" Hephaestus asked. "If Zeus didn't help them, your precious Champion would be dead too."
"First of all, I would never let my Champion die. Second of all, the Skeletons weren't looking for Aurora, meaning she wasn't in Danger." Hera answered.
Aurora really, really wanted her Brother to be here.
"This time is different!" Percy said
"Who says?"
He hesitated. "Athena, I think."
Atlas scowled. He loathed his Godly Mother.
Aurora and Thalia scowled like they were sure he'd gone crazy.
Aurora knew From her Brother how terrible of a mother Minerva/Athena was.
"Try it," Grover pleaded.
Thalia closed her eyes. Her lips moved in a silent prayer. Aurora was sure Percy put in my own prayer to Athena/Minerva, hoping he was right that it had been her in that elevator—that she was trying to help us save her daughter. Which Aurora highly doubted.
Atlas nodded his head. While Athena/Minerva looked sad that his son didn't love her or respect her.
And nothing happened.
♔ ♕ ♖ ♗ ♘ ♙
𝕬𝖙𝖑𝖆𝖘'𝖘 𝕻𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖙 𝖔𝖋 𝖁𝖎𝖊𝖜.
Atlas got a feeling Aurora was in Danger, so he accessed Aurora's thoughts.
'Zeus's Angels?!' Now Atlas was confused. Nevertheless Atlas called out for his Father.
"Son?" Zeus called out
"Hello, Father." Atlas bowed
"Quit the Formalities, after all, you are my son." Zeus said
"Aurora...." Atlas said. "She is in Danger, your Daughter Thalia is with her. There are near your Metal Angels that were Gift from your Daughter Athena."
"Yes...." Zeus said
"Can you make those metal angels alive for a while?" Atlas asked
"Why?" Zeus said scrunching his eyebrows
"My Sisters are in danger." Atlas almost screamed. "Can't you feel it?!"
Thalia smiled. When Atlas called her his sister.
"Son, you do know I can't interfere, not to mention those Skeletons will do Aurora no harm."
"Why?! I don't think Thanatos will do much help." Atlas screamed
"I can't tell you."
"Why?!"
"If I tell you, you must swear by River Styx you won't tell another living soul about it." Zeus said
Atlas nodded his head and swore by river Styx.
"Aurora is Hades's Soulmate." Zeus divulged
Wixen were still shocked even though they knew the truth.
But most importantly Dumbuldore was cursing everything and everyone.
"What?!" Atlas whispered. "But Hades is Aurora's Uncle."
"You think that is going to stop Hades?"
"No, but. Still that's odd. Is that why Persephone and Hades got a divorce?"
"It was one of the reasons, yes."
"Great." Atlas muttered. "I suppose there is some sort of prophecy between them?!"
"Yes there is." Zeus answered
Atlas felt disgusted by that Idea.
"Please, can't you help them?" Atlas begged
"I will see what I can do." Zeus answered
"Can you tell me more about Aurora and Hades, later." Atlas asked
Zeus sighed. "Later." He finally said
"Thank you, Father." Atlas said as he bowed. And then went back to Fighting.
♔ ♕ ♖ ♗ ♘ ♙
𝕬𝖚𝖗𝖔𝖗𝖆'𝖘 𝖕𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖙 𝖔𝖋 𝖁𝖎𝖊𝖜.
The skeletons closed in. Aurora lit up her sword and raised her shield, Percy raised Riptide to defend himself. Thalia held up her shield. Zoë pushed Grover behind her and aimed an arrow at a skeleton's head.
A shadow fell over Aurora. She thought maybe it was Letus, came to take the others souls.
Then she realized it was the shadow of an enormous wing. The skeletons looked up too late. A flash of bronze, and all five of the baton-wielders were swept aside.
The other skeletons opened fire. Aurora raised her shield, but she didn't need it. The bronze angels stepped in front of them and folded their wings like shields. Bullets pinged off of them like rain off a corrugated roof. Both angels slashed outward, and the skeletons went flying across the road.
Hera glared at Zeus.
"Thank you Dad." Atlas said
"Man, it feels good to stand up!" the first angel said. His voice sounded tinny and rusty, like he hadn't had a drink since he'd been built.
"Will ya look at my toes?" the other said.
"Holy Zeus, what were those tourists thinking?"
As stunned as Aurora was by the angels, she was more concerned with the skeletons. A few of them were getting up again, reassembling, bony hands groping for their weapons.
"Trouble!" Percy said.
"Get us out of here!" Thalia yelled.
Both angels looked down at her. "Zeus's kid?"
"Yes!"
"Could I get a please, Miss Zeus's Kid?" an angel asked.
"Please!"
The angels looked at each other and shrugged.
"Could use a stretch," one decided.
And the next thing Aurora knew, one of them grabbed her, Thalia and Percy, the other grabbed Zoë and Grover, and they flew straight up, over the dam and the river, the skeleton warriors shrinking to tiny specks below them and the sound of gunfire echoing off the sides of the mountains.
Aurora mentally thanked Atlas and Zeus.
"You are welcome." Zeus said
"Don't mention it." Atlas said
A/N: I am so evil the Gif is supposed to be Bianca's Skull. But hey, At least I wrote another Cute Episode where Atlas makes me want to have a Brother and not like being the Only Child.
the Narrator is speaking and writing British English while Percy is speaking American English, so I have to change a few words here and there. While I Author, I am from Eastern Europe who likes and speaks British English and has a Standard English Accent.