VIII
When Percy left the Throne Hall he was greeted by a sight he both expected and didn't. Apollo was standing beside Hestia. While Artemis and Reyna stood a little away from them, having recently returned from…wherever they wandered off to.
Reyna was no longer in her silver armor. Instead, she wore the usual uniform of the Hunters of Artemis had during the warmer season, with a white t-shirt with silver filigree and a light silver jacket over it, along with form fitting white camo pants with black boots.
And Hestia was no longer in her formal dark brown robes and cowl but had adorned a simple summer dress and her normal child-like form had grown to one that was about the age of a young adult.
They all looked at him and Percy felt uncomfortable under their gazes.
It was Apollo that broke the ice. "Perhaps we should go for some drinks to continue this?"
Percy didn't want to. He just wanted to go home and rest.
But the Olympians would not be denied their information as Apollo led them to a bar on Olympus. It was modeled greatly after mortal ones with complete with a counter with stools lining it a a multitude of small tables and booths. It was even built like a mortal bar with rich and varnished mahogany wood and deep white cushions upon the booths and seats.
There was only one other patron inside who upon seeing them had quickly thrown a drachma onto the counter, bowed to them at the waist and then squeezing past them. Smart immortal.
As Apollo guided the group to an empty table, Percy watched as an invisible wind spirit had picked up the coin and left with it.
Pulling up a chair for himself and Reyna they all sat around the small table. Percy sitting in between the Immortal Huntress and her Lieutenant while Hestia as to Reyna's right and Apollo's left.
Small glasses filled with nectar floated on by in front of the three immortals while Percy and Reyna had gotten their topped off with water and ice.
"I'm assuming you want to know what the Fates spoke to me about." Percy guessed. It was an easy assumption and one didn't need to a child of Athena to come to that particular conclusion.
Artemis and Apollo shared uneasy glances and they looked to Hestia who had narrowed her eyes suspiciously at her niece and nephew. "For the most part yes."
Reyna looked entirely uncomfortable with the situation.
"For the most part?" Percy repeated with a questioning lilt in his voice as he arched an eyebrow.
"We wanted to apologize." Artemis said looking away from him as his gaze locked onto her. "For what happened."
Percy appreciated the sentiment and he could easily blame the Twin Olympians for what had happened. But he didn't. He blamed the mortals and Thor. "If Thor had simply taken him off world beforehand or the…mortals weren't so arrogant as to believe they captured a self-proclaimed god with the abilities to back the claim, then none of this would have happened." He shook his head and waved off her apology.
"Still," Apollo said. "We were…lazy in our questioning. We would have been well within our rights to force the issue yet we did not and as much as you do not want to admit it, it is our fault that the attack on New York had occurred."
"Nevertheless circumstances forced your hand and you acted." Hestia said, eyeing him as she sipped her drink daintily. "No one should have expected any less. Not even my brother. You did Olympus proud. There shall be no retribution from the Council, I shall see to it myself even if Hera does so already in my stead." A bold promise but one that he could trust Hestia to keep as soon as the words left her mouth. In regards to the Queen of Olympus, she still proved to be an oddity that continued to elude him.
He disregarded it though and figured it was best not to question as to why Hera was willing to go so far as to ensure his continued existence.
There was a short pause.
"Thor and Loki have left." Artemis stated trailing a pair of her fingers on the rim of her glass. "In haste as well in Central Park and in full view of Olympus. If I have to give credit where it is due, the Prince of Asgard knows how to make a statement and his public exit in view of not only my Hunters but also of the Mount eased a lot of minds."
Percy nodded, glad his words did not go unheeded by the Prince. "I think Loki was possessed." The Son of Poseidon mumbled. Artemis and Apollo looked towards Percy with questioning glances as did Hestia. Reyna looked to the demigod beside her.
"What makes you say that?" The Lieutenant asked as she fully turned to face him.
"When we first met him, I thought it was simply his normal appearance but he was pale not unlike when someone is possessed by Eidolons and when I saw him at the top of the tower, he looked healthier than he did before."
"Hmm." Apollo hummed. "If this is true than I wonder who was pulling the strings."
Percy was quick to interject. "Do not get me wrong, it is entirely possible that he attacked simply because he could but the whole encounter with him aboard the mortal vessel felt off." A brief pause. "For a God of Mischief and Deceit he was decidedly direct in how he handled this entire thing."
Artemis was quick to wave off the suspicion. "It is no longer our concern. Besides, with how mad Loki was the possession must have taken root and only forced him to act out on true desires."
There was another pause as Percy took a drink from the water. It wasn't until the water touched his lips did he realize that he was thirsty and hungry. Like really thirsty and hungry. He hadn't had anything to drink nor eat besides nectar and some pretzel since the day before in Germany. He downed the glass in one swig.
A wind spirit came by and picked up the glass and deposited a freshly topped one in its place where Percy downed its contents halfway. It rejuvenated him to a degree.
No one commentated on his abrupt drinking but Reyna did slide her untouched glass over to him with a light smile on her lips at the display. "You must be tired."
Percy shook his head. He was tired yes and could do with some sleep but if he need to be up and about then he would do so.
"Regardless, we are here to ask what the Fates were on about." Apollo interjected, growing impatient.
"It wasn't much." Percy admitted and immediately determined that telling them that he was no longer bound by the Three Spinners was not a good idea.
He didn't need to give Zeus any more of a reason to try and kill him and despite Hera's and Hestia's own defense of him, he didn't think he would survive the night if there was no longer anything that kept him from going completely absent from the Immortal World.
Not that he would. He didn't fight two wars just to simply leave it all behind.
He blinked.
"Percy." Artemis nudged the shoulder of his shoulder lightly and snapped him from his thoughts. "You were saying?"
And blinked again as he took a finished his cup and took command of Reyna's. He shook his head as he continued to speak. "They told me to continue my current course and explained to me somewhat how the Mist works but other than that not much else. Vague as always." He ended in a mutter. If he needed to learn to keep an active control of the Mist, he would ask Calypso. While she didn't like making use of her other more…combative magic. Teaching him on how to subconsciously use the Veil Magic was something she would do for him.
The Immortals all seemed satisfied with the answer. Even Apollo who had been eyeing him suspiciously.
"And the Mortal world? What is your plan regarding them should they continue to search for you?"
Percy shrugged. To him it was a simple solution to a complicated situation. The veil magic was almost broken in how it could be used. One simply had to get creative with it. "No one suspects me. At the very least I'll think I'll try to lay low for a little bit. I would rather put off traveling in that case at least for the next year."
Hestia nodded, slightly. "I believe that is for the best."
"And your usual duties?" Apollo questioned.
"I'll Iris message them." Percy said though he wasn't sure himself. He would ask Chiron to send demigods to deal with the freed Immortals but he didn't think that would be a good idea. The immortals may be amenable to him but there were a few that were…prideful to say the least. Khione, Clymene and Menoetius to name a few. "For now that will have to do."
They would sooner see it as an insult that others were sent instead of him. They would be slighted at the very least if he simply messaged them but it could be mitigated if not outright negated if he played them right.
In regards to Khione, at least, sending inexperienced demigods to Alaska would just be asking for trouble, much less her ire in being checked in on who she viewed as little more than children.
The Son of Poseidon would know. He had been on the receiving end of it when her exile had been made known to him as well as his part in that particular banishment.
Percy hated politics.
There was another silence descending upon them and Percy downed Reyna's glass of water.
Another moment passed as they descended into silence.
Apollo's eyes tilted in curiosity at something past him which caused everyone to follow his gaze.
A shimmering mist was finishing its small cascading and a image began to appear. It was Iris and she had a worried look upon her face.
"Iris. We are in the middle of something. On order of Zeus." Apollo spoke. There was no malice in the words nor accusation but the intent was clear enough.
"I know! I know!" She turned to Percy. Though he didn't know of anyone that would IM him right now. Maybe it was Calypso. He hadn't spoken to her and technically speaking he was supposed to be showing her the Mortal World right now, having supposed to pick her up two days ago on Friday. "Perseus its your mother."
The words fell out of his mouth before he even thought of them. "Put her through."
Iris nodded though was clearly uncomfortable doing so. She faded from the image and was soon replaced by Sally.
Percy stood up in alarm from his seat as he took in the sight of his mother. Those around him did as well. Her hair was frazzled and she had been crying and still was. She was holding a crying Estelle in her arms in a sterile place not unlike a hospital but looked to be a janitorial closet of sorts.
He could not see Paul.
"Where are you?"
His mom did not hesitate in her answer but it cracked a little as she began breaking down. He knew that to be a hospital in New York. "In-In the fr-front."
Percy willed himself there, missing the shouts for him by the Olympians. His armor being replaced by his more casual clothes.
He appeared on the side alley of the building and moved as quick as he could to the front of the building.
It was utter chaos. A makeshift field hospital and triage center was set up in the parking lot where people were moving about with all the haste. Ambulances were streaming in and dispensing whoever they had with them. Offloading people from stretchers that were covered in severe burns and wrapped in thick gauze. Others were being treated right there in the parking lot, a lot of their faces in severe pain and crying or screaming.
Medical personnel were not the only ones there. Army personnel were there in great number as well administering first aid and helping those they could while he could see their medics actually performing what surgeries they could in the open air tents, from what he could discern his brief glimpse, glass lacerations were common. They most likely wouldn't do more severe surgeries with a hospital here but if they had resorted to doing surgeries outdoors then the situation inside would be much worse.
He quickly spotted his mother, Estelle crying at her side. who was hugging herself panickily looking through the throngs of people for him.
Percy intercepted her. "Are you guys alright?!"
"Y-yes…" She looked close to collapsing and tears were still streaming down her face and voice constantly caught in his voice. "Paul…Paul didn't make it."
The Right Sister of the Three Spinners words were on his mind. 'While you may be free from us, others are not."
Thunder boomed overhead.
'True Love is selfless. It is prepared to sacrifice.'
-Sadhu Vaswani