"Stars," Zoe 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. Bianca was crying, and Artemis stood there looking at Zoe.
Then, the goddess looked at Drako. "You said you could save her."
"And I did," Drako nodded.
"I can't feel me connection with her, it disappeared."
"That was because I severed it," Drako explained. "She is now no longer your Hunter, but my Servant."
For a moment, they didn't see anything different. Then Annabeth gasped. Looking again at Zoe, a strange silver lighting surrounded her body. Slowly, she opened her eyes.
"I'm alive?" She asked when she saw all of them.
"Welcome to your new life, my dear Servant," Drako smiled.
"What?"
Zoe was disoriented for a moment, but then she remembered her "last moments". It had been Artemis who had decided that this was the best thing for her.
But... she would rather move on to the next life than stop being a Hunter.
"I understand what you're thinking, Zoe," Drako said. "I'll explain to you later what it means to be a Servant."
"What can it mean, other than being a man's personal servant?" She asked with a bitter smile.
"Nothing of the sort," Drako shook his head. "To begin with, don't you notice anything different about your body?"
This didn't just catch Zoe's attention, it caught Artemis' as well.
"She's... stronger. Much stronger," the goddess muttered.
Zoe also seemed to have noticed the same thing. "But... how?"
"These are the benefits of becoming a Servant," Drako explained. "In fact, you are not alone. You've already met two in Japan."
Zoe remembered Mordred and Kuroka. At that moment, she was surprised to feel how strong they were. Now she understood why they were so strong.
"Although you are my Servant, and I am your Master, this contract is one of equals," Drako said. "We both have the same importance in this contract."
"There are many more things to explain, but this is not the place or the time," Drako continued. "Just remember that if I die, you die. Our lives are linked that way."
"I see..." Zoe muttered.
"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 Hunter. You will do right in this new live."
Then, she looked towards Thalia and Bianca, the two youngest Hunters. "You did a nice job, my young ones."
She turned to Percy. "You did well," she said. "For a man."
Finally, she looked back towards Drako and Zoe.
"Take good care of her," she said. "Zoe is my most precious hunter."
She mounted her chariot, which began to glow. 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, they heard the whoosh of large wings. Three pegasi descended through the fog: two white winged horses and one pure black one.
"Blackjack!" Percy called.
They have a short horse talk.
"These are my friends. We need to get to Olympus pretty fast."
The only problem was the professor, he couldn't go to Olympus since he is just a mortal. But… he was staring open-mouthed at the pegasi.
"Fascinating," he said. "Such manoeuvrability! 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.
There were three pegasi, and they were six persons. Thalia and Bianca went to one of the pegasi, Annabeth and Percy climbed on Blackjack, and Drako and Zoe went to the last one.
Dr. Chase finally 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.
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 her pegasi's back. Bianca had to hug her from behind to hold her, and the pegasi also helped with that.
Annabeth and Percy seemed to have a conversation on Blackjack.
"So, are thee going to tell me more about being a Servant?" Zoe said. "What am I going to do from now on?"
"Hmm, I guess you are coming with me to Japan," Drako said. "You don't really have to do anything for now. Well, we are going to another world in a few days."
He just said that casually, like it was normal to do that.
"What?" Zoe asked. "Going to another world?"
"It's difficult to explain from the start. The whole concept of Master and Servant come from another world, a parallel one. We are going there to participate in the Holy Grail War."
"Holy Grail War?"
"A war between 7 Servants and 7 Masters. They fight for the right to get the Holy Grail, an object that can give you any wish you want. But we are going to be exceptions in that war, and eight master and his three Servants."
"What is your wish?"
Drako denied with his head. "I don't have any wish."
"But thee are going to fight in that war for the wish, right?"
"Not exactly. You see, the war we are going is corrupted. The Grail is not going to give me any wish. Although I know of another war that indeed give that wish, but that's for a later date. What I want is to kill as much Servants and Masters as I can."
Zoe didn't understand why Drako wanted to kill that much.
"You want to know? I'm not a psycho, at least not right now. I can tell you that I have a curse and a blessing at the same time. I have the ability to increase my power very quickly, but that comes at a price. I cannot improve by normal means; I am doomed to remain at the same level unless…"
"Unless thee kill, right?" Zoe guessed.
"Exactly," Drako nodded. "The stronger my opponent is, the more powerful I become. You've noticed that, haven't you? How much stronger I have become after killing Ladon."
Zoe already assumed that Drako had killed Ladon. The prophecy said that one dragon had to kill the other, and Drako was the one that was still alive.
"The same goes for my Servants. My strength is also improved with your kills, and your strength is improved when my strength grows."
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.
"The Servants are divided in 7 classes principally," Drako explained. "Saber, Archer, Lancer, Rider, Berserker, Assassin and Caster. Yours is Archer, and it comes with the skill Independent Action. Even if I don't allow you to whatever you want, you can to whatever place you want. You can still Hunt with Artemis if you want."
Drako leave that option open to Zoe, but she denied with her head. "My times in the Hunt has already ended. I'm not going back there." She looked towards Thalia and Bianca. "Is the time to let the new generation get the lead."
Drako nodded, respecting her decision. "But you don't mind helping me a little bit when Artemis call me, right?"
Zoe smiled a little. "Only if thee want my help."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INFO
For those who want Zoe's stats.
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
[Zoe]
Race: Hesperid/Servant
Status: Normal
Lv: 49/100
Strength: 2504
Defense: 1252
Magic: 5008
Agility: 7753
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
"There it is," Thalia's voice; she'd woken up. She was pointing toward Manhattan, which was quickly zooming into view. "It has started."
"What started?" Drako asked.
Then, he 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."
They circled over midtown Manhattan, making one complete orbit around Mount Olympus.
Drako had never been here, so it was his first time seeing this place. It was amazing.
In the early-morning darkness, torches and fires made the mountainside palaces glow twenty different colours, from bloodred to indigo. Apparently, no one ever slept on Olympus.
The twisting streets were full of demigods and nature spirits and minor godlings bustling about, riding chariots or sedan chairs carried by Cyclopes. Winter didn't seem to exist here. Drako caught the scent of the gardens in full bloom, jasmine and roses and even sweeter things he couldn't name. Music drifted up from many windows, the soft sounds of lyres and reed pipes.
Towering at the peak of the mountain was the greatest of all, the glowing white hall of the gods.
Their pegasi set them down in the outer courtyard, in front of huge silver gates. Before they could even think to knock, the gates opened by themselves.
Blackjack and his friends flew off, leaving Thalia, Annabeth, Percy, Bianca and Drako alone. For a minute they stood there regarding the palace. And then, side by side, they walked into the throne room.
…
Twelve enormous thrones made a U around a central hearth, just like the placement of the cabins at the camp. The ceiling above glittered with constellations.
All of the seats were occupied. Each god and goddess was about fifteen feet tall, probably those were their true forms. They weren't humans, so their human form was just a façade while these giants forms were the true ones.
Drako looked into every god and goddess here. Ones were weaker than the other, but all of them were really powerful beings. And the two strongest were without a doubt the two brothers, Poseidon and Zeus.
"Welcome, heroes," Artemis said.
"Mooo!"
Drako had already noticed Bessie and Grover before.
A sphere of water was hovering in the center of the room, next to the hearth fire. Bessie was swimming happily around, swishing his serpent tail and poking his head out the sides and bottom of the sphere. He seemed to be enjoying the novelty of swimming in a magic bubble. Grover was kneeling at Zeus' throne, as if he'd just been giving a report, but when he saw them, he cried, "You made it!"
He started to run towards Percy, then he remembered he was turning his back on Zeus, and looked for permission.
"Go on," Zeus said. But he wasn��t really paying attention to Grover. The lord of sky was staring intently at Thalia.
Grover trotted over. None of the gods spoke. Every clop of Grover's hooves echoed on the marble floor. Bessie splashed in his bubble of water. The hearth fire crackled.
Drako studied the gods meanwhile.
Zeus was imposing, and very muscular, with shoulder-length black hair and gray/black neatly trimmed beard. Like Thalia, he had electric blue eyes. He wore a dark blue pinstriped suit.
Poseidon was dressed with beach shorts, a Hawaiian shirt, and sandals. He had a weathered, suntanned face with a dark beard and deep green eyes.
Next to Poseidon was a huge lump of a man with a leg in a steel brace, misshapen head, and a wild brown beard, fire flickering through his whiskers. The Lord of Forges, Hephaestus.
Hermes was at his side. He was wearing business suit, checking messages on his caduceus mobile phone. Apollo leaned back in his golden throne with his shades on. He had iPod headphones on.
Dionysus looked bored, twirling a grape vine between his fingers. And Ares, well, he sat on his chrome and leather throne.
On the other side of Zeus was his wife, Hera. She was, without a doubt, the second most beautiful goddess, only second to Aphrodite. She has long black hair; large, soft brown eyes that one could get lost in; and a face of regal and unapproachable beauty like that of a supermodel. She wore a dress that shimmered with colours like peacock feathers.
A dark-haired goddess in green robes sat next to Hera on a throne woven of apple-tree branches. Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest. Next to her sat a beautiful gray-eyed woman in an elegant white dress. She could only be Annabeth mother, Athena. Then there was Aphrodite, who smile at Drako knowingly and gave him a seductive look. Artemis sat between Athena and Aphrodite.
All the Olympians in one place. So much power in this room it was a miracle the whole palace didn't blow apart.
Grover gave everyone of them big hugs. Then he grasped Percy's arms. "Percy, Bessie and I made it! But you have to convince them! They can't do it!"
"Do what?" Percy asked.
"Heroes," Artemis called.
The goddess slid down from her throne and turned to human size, a young auburn-haired girl, perfectly at ease in the midst of the giant Olympians. She walked towards them, her silver robes shimmering. There was no emotion in her face. She seemed to walk in a column of moonlight.
"The Council has been informed of your deeds," Artemis told them. "They know that Mount Othrys is rising in the West. They know of Atlas' attempt for freedom, and the gathering armies of Kronos. We have voted to act."
There was some mumbling and shuffling among the gods, as if they weren't all happy with this plan, but nobody protested.
"At my Lord Zeus' command," Artemis said, "my brother Apollo and I shall hunt the most powerful monsters, seeking to strike them down before they can join the Titans' cause. Lady Athena shall personally check on the other Titans to make sure they do not escape their various prisons. Lord Poseidon has been given permission to unleash his full fury on the cruise ship Princess Andromeda and send it to the bottom of the sea. And as for you, my heroes…"
She turned to face the other immortals. "These half-bloods and Hunters have done Olympus a great service. Would any here deny that?"
She looked around at the assembled gods, meeting their faces individually.
"I gotta say"—Apollo broke the silence—" these kids did okay." He cleared his throat and began to recite: "Heroes win laurels—"
"Um, yes, first class," Hermes interrupted, like he was anxious to avoid Apollo's poetry.
"All in favour of not disintegrating them?"
A few tentative hands went up—Demeter, Aphrodite.
"Wait just a minute," Ares growled. He pointed at Thalia and Percy. "These two are dangerous. It'd be much safer, while we've got them here—"
"Ares," Poseidon interrupted," they are worthy heroes. We will not blast my son to bits."
"Nor my daughter," Zeus grumbled. "She has done well."
Thalia blushed. She studied the floor. It seems she hardly got a compliment from her father.
The goddess Athena cleared her throat and sat forward. "I am proud of my daughter as well. But there is a security risk here with the other two.
"Mother!" Annabeth said. "How can you—"
Athena cut her off with a calm but firm look. "It is unfortunate that my father, Zeus, and my uncle, Poseidon, chose to break their oath no to have more children. Only Hades kept his word, a fact that I find ironic. As we know from the Great Prophecy, children of the three elder gods… such as Thalia and Percy… are dangerous. As thickhead as he is, Ares has a point.
"Right!" Ares said. "Hey, wait a minute. Who you callin'—"
He started to get up, but a grape win grew around his waist like a seat belt and pulled him back down.
"Oh, please. Ares," Dionysus sighed. "Save the fighting for later."
Ares cursed and ripped away the vine. "You're one to talk, you old drunk. You seriously want to protect these brats?"
Dionysus gazed down at them wearily. "I have no love for them. Athena, do you truly think it safest to destroy them?"
"I do not pass judgment," Athena said. "I only point out the risk. What we do, the Council must decide."
"I will not have them punished, not when one of the two is my own Hunter," Artemis said. "I will have them rewarded. If we destroy the heroes who do us a great favour, then we are no better than the Titans. If this is Olympian justice, I will have none of it."
"Calm down, sis," Apollo said. "Jeez, you need to lighten up."
"Don't call me sis! I will reward them."
The gods were discussing like the group of the mission doesn't exist or doesn't have their own word. But there was someone whose status was at par with the gods.
"I think that all of you have to calm down," Drako said with a smirk. "Do you really think that you can do as you want while I'm here?"
Paragraph comment
Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.
Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.
GOT IT