──── chapter fourteen

{ 🔮 }  · hard at goodbyes . ݁ ٬٬ ࣪

EVERY MUSCLE HAS SEIZED UP. Endora's body is struggling to recover, to repair the damage of what she went though. Unable to move with any grace, her movements are jerky as Percy helped her out from Artemis' carriage. She cane feel the pain that travels though her spine as she took even the lightest steps; her body functioning even after all it went though. On each arm there are great purple welts that will only deepen over the coming week. Against her ghostly skin they are grotesque, but she knows she's lucky not to have broken bones, even when she should have. She doesn't understand how she's alive - the impact was big enough to have even monsters dazed.

Magic. That was the only way she had survived. But which one was it? Gods would like her dead. The Hollow and the Ancestors don't, but for a two different reason. If she had died, the revengeful witch would have died with her. She connected to Endora's soul and body after all. She wouldn't let that happen. She's waiting for a right moment to strike. Endora just waits for it, preparing herself for the moment where the universe might collapse. But the Ancestors are there too. Old spirits she owns her life to. She wouldn't have survived this long without them bringing her back to the good side. 

The girl took in a sharp breath as the boy put her down, her body aching in pain.

"Sorry, sorry," Percy said urgently.

Endora shook her head, her lips held in a tight line, "It's fine. Give me some nectar from my bag."

Percy looked uncertain, "Are you sure? You already had ambrosia. It could - "

"Percy." the brunette cut him off, "Don't worry, just give it to me."

The boy looked at her for a moment before unzipping her bag once more, his hand disappearing till his shoulder. He was amazed by the fact of how deep the bag was. Stuff cluttered against each other as he searched for the godly drink, "I-I think I got it," he said and pulled out a bottle with the godly drink. He helped Endora drink some, holding her body against his as her hands shakily held onto the bottle. 

She could feel the aching stopping a bit, but the pain never got away. Endora couldn't move on her own still, needing the support until she got the right treatment from Cabin seven.

"Endora," the girl heard Annabeth's voice before she felt a pair of arms around her body. Endora winced just a bit, but she hugged the blonde daughter of Athena. Annabeth quickly apologized before gently removed her hands from around her girl, "You came to save me? I-I. . ."

"Of course I came," Endora smiled, "You're my friend after all."

Annabeth's eyes shone with tears, "I am?"

"Honestly, I don't know why we hated each other at first. You're like, the badass person I've ever met."

"Me?" the blonde laughed, "Have you seen the way you fought! You call me badass when you survived a fucking blow to your spine!"

"Still don't know how," Endora grinned.

"So friends?" Annabeth asked.

"I sure hope so." the brunette looked up, "Is that a plane coming towards us?"

As soon as Dr. Chase stepped out of his Sopwith Camel, Annabeth ran to him and gave him a huge hug. "Dad! You flew. . . you shot. . . oh my gods! That was the most amazing thing I've ever seen!"

Her father blushed. "Well, not bad for a middle-aged mortal, I suppose."

"But the celestial bronze bullets! How did you get those?"

"Ah, well. You did leave quite a few half-blood weapons in your room in Virginia, the last time you. . . left."

Annabeth looked down, embarrassed. Endora noticed Dr. Chase was very careful not to say ran away.

"I decided to try melting some down to make bullet casings," he continued. "Just a little experiment."

He said it like it was no big deal, but he had a gleam in his eye. The witch could understand all of a sudden why Athena, Goddess of Crafts and Wisdom, had taken a liking to him. He was an excellent mad scientist at heart.

"Dad. . ." Annabeth faltered.

"Annabeth, Dora, Percy," Thalia interrupted. Her voice was urgent. She and Artemis were kneeling at Zoë's side, binding the huntress's wounds.

Annabeth and Percy helped Endora up, placing her hands around their shoulder and walking towards the goddess. But there wasn't much they could do. It was dark, but Endora could see that Zoë didn't look good. She was shivering, and the faint glow that usually hung around her was fading.

"Can't you heal her with magic?" Percy asked Artemis as he placed Endora down next to the Huntress. "I mean. . . you're a goddess."

Artemis looked troubled. "Life is a fragile thing, Percy. If the Fates will the string to be cut, there is little I can do. But I can try."

She tried to set her hand on Zoë's side, but Zoë gripped her wrist. She looked into the goddess's eyes, and some kind of understanding passed between them.

"Have I. . . served thee well?" 

"With great honor," Artemis said softly. "The finest of my attendants."

Zoë's face relaxed. "Rest. At last."

"I can try to heal the poison, my brave one."

But in that moment, Endora knew it wasn't just the poison that was killing her. It was her father's final blow. Zoë had known all along that the Oracle's prophecy was about her: she would die by a parent's hand. And yet she'd taken the quest anyway. She had chosen to save Percy, and Atlas's fury had broken her inside.

"My spell hadn't work. I could have tried it again," Endora said softly, taking the Huntress's hand in her own, "If I knew what was going on, and not be battling my brother. . . I-" a sob left her mouth, tears dripping from her brown-green eyes, "I'm sorry."

Zoë had a twinkle in her eyes that she couldn't decipher, "You're meant for much more, Endora Prince. It is in thy blood to lead armies and fight for good. Don't let it take thy to a wrong path. Fight it. I know thy can. You will win in the end. I'm sure of it."

Endora smiled softly, "I will. I won't let it win."

Zoë's eyes fluttered as she looked to Thalia and took her hand.

"I am sorry we argued," Zoë said. "We could have been sisters."

"It's my fault," Thalia said, blinking hard. "You were right about Luke, about heroes, men ─ everything."

"Perhaps not all men," Zoë murmured. She smiled weakly at Percy. "Do you still have the sword, Percy?"

The boy brought out Riptide and put the pen in her hand. She grasped it contentedly. "You spoke the truth, Percy Jackson. You are nothing like. . . like Hercules. I am honored that you carry this sword."

A shudder ran through her body.

"Zoë ─ " Percy said.

"Stars," she whispered. "I can see the stars again, my lady."

A tear trickled down Artemis's cheek. "Yes, my brave one. They are beautiful tonight."

"Stars," Zoë repeated.

Her eyes fixed on the night sky.

And she did not move again.

Thalia lowered her head. Annabeth gulped down a sob, and her father put his hands on her shoulders. Endora looked up at the stars, blinking back unfallen tears as she felt a hand coming over her shoulders. She leaned her head on Percy's shoulder and they watched as Artemis cupped her hand above Zoë's mouth and spoke a few words in Ancient Greek. A silvery wisp of smoke exhaled from Zoë's lips and was caught in the hand of the goddess. Zoë's body shimmered and disappeared. 

Artemis stood, said a kind of blessing, breathed into her cupped hand and released the silver dust to the sky. It flew up, sparkling, and vanished.

For a moment Endora didn't see anything different. Then Annabeth gasped. Looking up in the sky, she saw that the stars were brighter now. They made a pattern she had never noticed before ─ a gleaming constellation that looked a lot like a girl's figure ─ a girl with a bow, running across the sky.

"Let the world honor you, my Huntress," Artemis said. "Live forever in the stars."

It wasn't easy saying their good-byes. The thunder and lightning were still boiling over Mount Tamalpais in the north. Artemis was so upset she flickered with silver light. This made Endora nervous, because if she suddenly lost control and appeared in her fully divine form, they would disintegrate by looking at her. 

"I must go to Olympus immediately," Artemis said. "I will not be able to take you, but I will send help." the goddess set her hand on Annabeth's shoulder. "You are brave beyond measure, my girl. You will do what is right."

She turned towards Endora and gave her a gentle smile, "The offer still stands," she said, "Follow your heart and you will know the right choice." Artemis looked over her sitting body, "I shall inform my brother about your injury. He will heal it for you."

Endora smiled back and nodded gratefully, "Thank you." 

Then she looked quizzically at Thalia, as if she weren't sure what to make of the younger daughter of Zeus. Thalia seemed reluctant to look up, but something made her, and she held the goddess's eyes. Artemis's gaze softened with sympathy.

Then she turned to Percy. "You did well," she said. "For a man." 

Percy wanted to protest, but stopped himself. It was the first time she hadn't called me a boy. 

The goddess mounted her chariot, which began to glow. They averted our eyes. There was a flash of silver, and the goddess was gone.

"Well," Dr. Chase sighed. "She was impressive; though I must say I still prefer Athena."

Annabeth turned toward him. "Dad, I. . . I'm sorry that ─ "

"Shh." he hugged her. "Do what you must, my dear. I know this isn't easy for you." his voice was a little shaky, but he gave Annabeth a brave smile.

Then Endora heard the whoosh of large wings. Four pegasi descended through the fog: two white winged horses, one brown and one pure black one.

"Blackjack!" Percy called. 

Endora watched as Percy talked with the black pegasi. She knew that the boy could talk with horses, but she still didn't understand the whole thing.

"Fascinating," Dr. Chase said. "Such maneuverability! How does the wingspan compensate for the weight of the horse's body, I wonder?"

Blackjack cocked his head.

"Why, if the British had had these pegasi in the cavalry charges on the Crimea," Dr. Chase said, "the charge of the light brigade ─ "

"Dad!" Annabeth interrupted.

Dr. Chase blinked. He looked at his daughter and managed a smile. "I'm sorry, my dear, I know you must go." 

He gave her one last awkward, well-meaning hug. As she turned to climb aboard the pegasus Guido, Dr. Chase called, "Annabeth. I know. . . I know San Francisco is a dangerous place for you. But please remember, you always have a home with us. We will keep you safe."

Annabeth didn't answer, but her eyes were red as she turned away. Dr. Chase started to say more, then apparently thought better of it. He raised his hand in a sad farewell and trudged away across the dark field.

With help from Percy, Endora approached the brown one, lifting her hand so it could sniff it. The pegasus backed a bit from her and the girl tilted her head. Was it scared of her?

"Um, that's Cherie, Dora," Percy said from behind her, "She said you smell like dead a bit."

"Oh," Endora said and retrieved her hand, "Sorry, it's always like that with children from the underworld.

Cherie moved closer, step by step, but she returned back to Endora. She let her pat her mane and the girl smiled. The brunette girl bowed her head a bit, as a thank you, and the pegasus flapped it's wings, nudging the girl with it's snout.

"She likes you." Percy said.

Endora smiled, "And so do I."

Endora, Thalia and Annabeth and Percy mounted their pegasi. Together they soared over the bay and flew toward the eastern hills. Soon San Francisco was only a glittering crescent behind them, with an occasional flicker of lightning in the north. 

Thalia was so exhausted she fell asleep on Porkpie's back. Endora knew she had to be really tired to sleep in the air, despite her fear of heights, but she didn't have much to worry about. Her pegasus flew with ease, adjusting himself every once in a while so Thalia stayed safely on his back.

Annabeth and Endora flew along side by side, with Percy a bit further in front. The brunette held tightly onto her pegasus, trying to find the best way where she knew she wouldn't fall and where it hurt the most. The blonde was beside her, extending one arm to hold onto the girl and help her when she needed to readjust.

"Your dad seems cool," Endora told her.

It was too dark to see her expression. She looked back, even though California was far behind them now.

"I guess so," she said. "We've been arguing for so many years."

"Yeah, you've mentioned it."

"You think I was lying about that?" it sounded like a challenge, but a pretty halfhearted one, like she was asking it of herself.

"I didn't say you were lying. It's just. . . he seems okay. Your stepmom, too. Maybe they've ─ I don't know ─ got a wake up call." Endora shrugged.

The blonde hesitated. "They're still in San Francisco, Dora. I can't live so far from camp." 

"So what are you going to do now?" the brunette asked, "Am I going to loose my only friend that stays year around. Don't let the Stoll brothers hear that."

They flew over a town, an island of lights in the middle of the dark. It whisked by so fast they might've been in an airplane.

"Don't worry. But, I don't know," Annabeth admitted. "But thank you for rescuing me."

"It's no biggie. We're friends."

"You didn't believe I was dead?"

"I knew you weren't dead. There wasn't that feeling I get when people die. . ." 

Annabeth hesitated for a moment. "Neither is Luke. I mean. . . he isn't dead."

Endora stared at her, but deep down, she too, knew that Luke was still alive.

"I know," the witch whispered.

The towns were zipping by faster now, islands of light thicker together, until the whole landscape below was a glittering carpet. Dawn was close. The eastern sky was turning gray. And up ahead, a huge white-and-yellow glow spread out before them ─ the lights of New York. 

"You're the man, Blackjack,"Endora heard Percy saying to Blackjack ahead of them. "Er, the horse, I mean."

"There it is." Thalia's voice; she'd woken up. She was pointing toward Manhattan, which was quickly zooming into view. "It's started."

"What's started?" Percy asked. 

Then Endora looked where she was pointing. High above the Empire State Building, Olympus was its own island of light, a floating mountain ablaze with torches and braziers, white marble palaces gleaming in the early morning air.

"The winter solstice," Thalia said. "The Council of the Gods." 

niki speaks!

your honor, i love percy and endora
with my whole heart. i would die for them.
sell my kidney. anything for them
to stay happy
but also me who has planned
a traumatic future for them. . .

i love torturing my characters :)

anyway,
have a nice day/night!
bye!