Michael POV
It was quite easy to find Athena with our combined efforts. Everett is really good at removing the Mist from areas around us like Hecate would. We followed the trail that whichever Titan had fought Athena had left.
We didn't wait until dawn or first light. Nora and I could produce the needed light. Artemis would've flying the moon chariot at the moment, the moon shining down on us. I wonder who was flying it? Was it Hermes? Or was it some other god?
We crossed the park that Athena and the Titan fought in. It was almost completely destroyed. Trees were cut down or uprooted. Craters littered the ground in varying sizes.
"It's like a war zone," Nora murmured.
"It's like this whenever gods fight," Dad informed them.
"How do you know that?" Theo asked accusingly.
"I've fought with them," dad responded without batting an eye. Theo didn't say anything else.
"Do you see anything, Everett?" Wyatt asked the son of Lelantos. Everett scanned the area.
"There," he pointed towards a clear spot. He waved his hand and dissipated the Mist that was gathered there, revealing obvious drag marks. I approached them and knelt down next to them.
"He knocked Athena unconscious," I muttered to myself. I stood up. "So, are we going to follow the tracks or do something else?" They blinked at me.
"Let's just follow the tracks," Brooklyn suggested. "It might be easier that way."
"It'll also lead us directly to whatever Titan has captured this goddess," Wyatt pointed out. "Are we sure we want to do that?"
"We have no choice," Bianca said. "Without Athena, the solstice meeting will be in chaos and no progress will be made in the war."
"We're rescuing Athena?" Luca asked incredulously. "The Olympian goddess of wisdom and battle strategy?" I nodded slowly.
"And you are telling this to us now?" Theo snarled.
"Does it matter?" Brooklyn asked. "We agreed to help them save a godd-"
"It most definitely matters." Theo whirled on her, eyes glowing an icy blue. "She's an Olympian goddess. She might as well kill us after we save her."
"She won't do that," Brooklyn tried. She looked to Wyatt, and then me for support.
"Athena won't kill us," I promised. "She wouldn't risk the internal war it would cause even if she did want to kill us. She'd lose valuable allies that way."
"Oh, because you're so important," Theo drawled. I narrowed my eyes.
"I'm powerful enough to fight an Olympian god and live," I told him. He scoffed.
"I'll believe it when I see it." He sent sharp-tipped icicles my way. I turned myself into shadows, letting the icicles fly right through my body before disappearing into a shadow and appearing right behind Theo and kicked his legs out from under him. My sword appeared in my hand and I held it over his neck, my foot on his chest, keeping him down.
"You've seen it," I told him, pressing the edge of Aura into his neck, "now believe it." I removed my sword and stepped back. He glowered at me but didn't say anything as he rose.
"You think you're so special because you have these powers," he spat. "You think you're special because you've been to this camp up in New York. You've had luxury while the rest of us have been fighting for our lives every single day!"
"Theodoric." Brooklyn said warningly. "They are risking their lives to save this goddess. Just leave it and-"
"Shut up!" he roared. He whirled on her again. "You're just as bad! Thinking positive does nothing to help us survive!"
"Hey!" Wyatt yelled over him. "You do not talk to her like that. You have a problem, you leave." Theo glared at him. Wyatt glared back. And without a word, Theo walked away.
I was simmering with rage. That kid had no business telling me off for things he didn't know anything about. But I also knew that we just lost someone who could change the tide of battle should it come, and it will.
"Breathe, Michael," Bianca breathed into my ear. "You're losing your grip on your powers." I looked down and realized that the shadows were condensing around me. I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. The darkness dissolved as I breathed deeply again. I turned to Bianca, who was on my right side.
"Thanks, B," I told her. She smiled.
"Don't thank me yet," she said and turned away. "We've still got to find Athena." Indeed we did. We were no closer to finding Athena, aside from the tracks.
"Everett," Wyatt said to the quiet son of Lelantos. Everett looked up from the tracks. "Can you lead us to where Athena is hidden?" The kid scanned all of us with his white eyes. Wyatt was holding Brooklyn, who looked to be on the verge of tears. Nora and Alexia seemed to be in shock at the sudden turn of events and Luca stared at where Theo had gone. Lee stood behind me, spinning an arrow in between his fingers, and dad stood tall beside him. Bianca was still on my right, but was standing a little too close to be casual.
He nodded. "I can."
"Then lead the way," Wyatt gestured to the area beyond the tracks. Everett nodded and started following the tracks. I motioned for dad and Lee to go ahead of me, following Alexia and Nora, who were in the back so far. They did without question. I was about to follow when Bianca grabbed my hand and made me wait until they were all out of earshot.
"What's up?" I asked, looking to her. She didn't say anything as she stared up at me with her onyx eyes. Before I could ask again, she grabbed my shirt and pulled me down, smashing her lips against mine.
The kiss was over sooner than I would've liked. Bianca was blushing fiercely and I felt my face glow with heat.
"Incase..." She started. "Incase I don't make it. I didn't want to die without kissing you one last time."
"You're not going to die," I told her. "I promised on the Styx that I would protect you, and even if I hadn't, I would still protect you." I cupped her face in my hands, stroking her cheek with my thumb. "Bianca Di Angelo, I love you. I have since I first met you. Not being able to see you for years after I fell for you killed me. Hearing that you had died almost did, but now you are back, and I am not going to let you go again. I promise on my sister's life." Her eyes widened.
"You mean Este-"
"No. I don't."
She stared at me. She lifted her own hand up and cupped my face.
"Then keep me safe," she ordered. And then shadow traveled us to where the others were.
Lee raised a brow as we untangled from each other. Bianca caught up with Luca and began talking with him, throwing me a smile over her shoulder as she did.
"Do I even want to know?" Lee asked from beside me. I gave him a look before walked on. "I guess not."
After a couple minutes, we came across an abandoned warehouse where the tracks ended. We all stared up at the ominous building.
"Why does this feel like a horror movie?" Lee asked, kicking a rock at a sign that read No Trespassing.
"This looks like where they filmed-" Dad started but I cut him off with a look.
"Alright," I said, clapping my hands together. "Here's what we need to do."
A few minutes later, Luca and I walked through the warehouse quietly, looking for any sign of Athena or the Titan in residence. Luca was as quiet as a ghost and I was moderating how much sound I made.
"Michael," Luca whispered. I turned to see that he was pointing to something. I looked to where he was pointing and saw Athena chained to a wall, some sort of bronze sack over her face.
"That's her," I confirmed. "Let's get a closer look." Luca and I snuck closer to the chained goddess. Close enough that we could examine her chains. "Celestial bronze. That's not good." Indeed, the chains were a dark bronze color, glowing faintly in the darkness. "Keep watch Luca. I'm going to try and lift the sack off of her." Luca nodded and started scanning the area behind me. I gripped the edges of the sack that was on top of her head and yanked it upwards. I was met with startling grey eyes, which widened at the sight of me.
"Michael," she breathed. "You should not be here."
"We are here to take you back to Olympus," I informed her, checking the locks on the chains around her wrists. "We need you there in time for the Winter Solstice meeting."
"He's expecting you," she said. I raised a brow.
"Who?"
"Welcome, demigods," said a booming voice from behind me. I whirled around to see a sight. Standing tall was a red-haired Titan with blood red eyes. He stood at the normal height for a Titan, about 10 feet tall, and was equipped with a sword that was about as big as Silena, which is to say almost five feet long. "I was wondering when you were going to show yourselves."
"I thought you had a spear," Luca blurted out before covering his mouth with his hands. The Titan tilted his head back and his laughter boomed through the warehouse.
"What a clever ploy that was," he laughed. "I am not my father, but my skill with a spear still surpasses that of this goddess." He gestured to Athena behind me, who growled.
"You will pay dearly for that, Menoetius." she growled. A light bulb went off in my head.
"Your father is Iapetus, the Piercer," I said. "And you are the Titan of rash action and violence."
"Indeed, little demigod," he congratulated. "I was killed by Zeus in the first Titan War, but now I am back and ready for vengeance."
"Fat chance, Meno," I heard dad say from behind the Titan. Menoetius turned around and narrowed his eyes.
"Apollo," he growled. Luca's eyes widened so much that I thought his eyeballs were going to fall out. "I see you have come to save your sister."
"I'm a good brother that way," Dad retorted and I leaned around Menoetius enough to see him sling off his bow, an arrow already ready.
"You won't be able to do it," Menoetius said. "The Winter Solstice is almost here, and by the end, Athena will be no more."
"You plan to kill her?" Dad asked, growing until he was about the same height as Menoetius. Meno laughed.
"Not necessarily, no," he said. "I plan to use her essence to bring back my brother, Epimetheus. With him, I can go free our brother, Prometheus. And once Atlas is sure he is free of his curse, we will go join our father on the side of Kronos."
"We won't let you," I said, summoning my sword. Menoetius looked at me over his shoulder.
"Are you sure, squish?" He taunted. At those words, something in me broke. No one calls me that. No one but her.
I let out a growl that was anything but humane. My sword started sparking. Dad's eyes widened in alarm.
"Michael," he tried, but I had already launched myself at the Titan. He drew his sword in time to block my blow, but I still pushed him back a few feet from the force of it. Something flashed in his eyes but was gone before I could fully register it. I dropped down and sliced at his legs before jumping back, out of his reach. Dad fired arrows at Menoetius while Lee and Bianca began firing from the shadows. I ran at Menoetius again and rolled to the side as he swung his giant sword at me. I popped up and sliced at his left leg before ducking and rolling away.
A battle cry from my right drew my attention away from the Titan. I saw Wyatt, Everett, and Alexia charging at the Titan. The glance cost me. Menoetius hit me in the chest with the flat of his blade, sending me flying. I landed next to Athena, who was slowly being freed from her chains by Nora, Brooklyn, and Luca.
"You can't defeat him, Michael," Athena said. "Not like that."
"Then like what?" I snapped.
"He is the Titan of rash actions," Athena told me. "Use his impulsiveness against him."
"Yeah, I'll work on it," I grumbled before jumping up to my feet. I watched as Wyatt ducked under Menoetius's swing and slashed at his exposed stomach. Everett appeared out of thin air and stabbed his spear into Menoetius's knee while Alexia stabbed the other with a knife. The Titan roared.
He grabbed Alexia and threw her to the side. Lee dropped down from his hiding place to catch her. He cushioned her fall with his body, leaving them both dazed, Lee probably with a broken something as well. He just dropped twenty feet or so.
Menoetius cornered Everett and was about to stick him with his sword when Wyatt yelled, "Attack me!" His voice was so compelling that I almost sprung at him. And then something like horror and dread filled me as Menoetius turned away from Everett, allowing the boy to jump into invisibility. Menoetius stomped toward Wyatt, who stood at the ready, his sword raised.
"No," Brooklyn started. "No, no, no!" She started screaming. She got up and tried to run to Wyatt, but Luca tackled her before she could.
"Help me!" Luca ordered, and his voice wasn't timid. It really was an order. I listened and helped him and Nora hold Brooklyn down as Menoetius raised his sword in front of Wyatt. Wyatt looked over in our direction and Brooklyn stopped immediately. He mouthed something to her and smiled kindly. He locked eyes with me as Menoetius brought down his sword. Some type of understanding passed between us, and I really did understand what he was trying to say: Protect them. Protect them all and bring them to camp. I was on my feet and hurtling as Wyatt brought up his sword to deflect Menoetius, but just barley. He slashed with his sword and jumped back, but he was no match for a Titan. Menoetius kicked his sword out of his hand and wasted no time driving his sword through Wyatt's gut.
I screamed and I rammed my whole body into Menoetius. I hit him so hard that I knocked him away from Wyatt's dying body. I stood over him and knelt down. We locked eyes again.
"I will protect them with my life," I told him. "Especially Brooklyn." That seemed to be enough for him. He closed his eyes and let himself die.
I was suddenly aware of a cold wind swimming through the air. I looked back to see Theo floating in the air, his raging eyes on the Titan. He must've witnessed Menoetius killing Wyatt. I stood up and stared down the giant. He grinned at me.
"Another one bites the dust, squish." There it was. That name again. I felt the rage soar through me, but I leashed it. Just barely. I grinned evilly at the Titan, and I could've sworn he shuddered.
"You'll be dust for that," I taunted. "You'll be bested by a little demigod and his crew." I caught dad's eye and he nodded, readying his bow. Menoetius snorted.
"You can never defeat me," he gloated. "I am too strong!"
"You're weak," I told him. "You've always been the weakest of your brothers. The only one who was killed. Come at me then. I am ready. You will never beat the gods. You will die again, but this time at a demigod's hand." Menoetius growled. "Come fight me."
He charged me, and I was ready.