The Olympians' Quest

Chapter 12 ~ Has Hell Frozen Over Already?

[...]

Eyes wide and jaws slacked, they stared at the parcel... or rather what was in it.

Bound tightly by leather straps and placed carefully inside large packets was a row of objects. Every one of them radiating power.

A lightning bolt, a trident, a helm, 2 shields, a pair of hunting knives, a lyre, a mirror and a caduceus.

[...]

"All this... just so we'd understand." muttered Zeus as he stared at his precious bolt.

[...]

So this is what their kids felt like, the gods thought. This is what they went through. The continuous thoughts began to make them feel sick and gods couldn't get sick.

Zeus straightened himself, taking on the air and position of leader of the group. "We should be making our way back to Olympus now. We have successfully retrieved our weapons and we have been away from our domains for too long. It is time to return home."

[...]

And now...

Percy's POV

I made my way back to my sister and cousins who were now sitting by the campfire as the demigods trickled out of the dining pavilion for our usual after-dinner tradition. I sat between Ana and Thalia both looking at me silently asking if all was good. I sighed.

"In all honesty, I'm not sure what's going to happen. I sort of... ranted to them about how crappy our demigod lives are and basically bluntly throwing the truth in their faces so they couldn't ignore it—again."

They nodded and Nico spoke up from his spot on my sister's left side.

"Well, if that's what it takes for them to change, then so be it. Honestly, after everything we've been through, I can't bring myself to really care about their feelings right now."

"I'm with Nico." said Thalia, "The others may have been convinced earlier to our reality, but I know for sure that my dad would have needed that verbal slap in the face. Good job on that by the way." She clapped me on the back with her usual mischievous smile she had whenever we were all together. "I mean, just look at what he said when we were in the forest. We were sitting right there and still... he just had to treat our lives as though they were useless. As though we didn't fight their battles and win their wars."

I'll admit that after hearing Thalia speak, I found myself no longer hesitating, wondering if what I'd done was too much. She was right. They would never have listened otherwise. They would have changed for a year or two before going back to their old habits of blissful ignorance. It may not have been the only way, and I won't blind myself by thinking that way, but it was certainly the most—or one of the most—effective ways to go about this.

"Well," I said, "As much as I enjoy talking about how we tormented our parents and finally one-upped them, I think it's time we sat back and relaxed. Chaos knows we need it."

"Agreed!" cried Ana as she laughed.

We all shouted the cheer, much to the confusion and amusement of those around us, but we couldn't bring ourselves to care.

It was over.

It was all over.

The wars, the constant fights, the never-ending fear, panic, depression and guilt that seemed to run through all us half-bloods. Not to mention all the tension that had been in the air. Thick like a cloud of smoke. It was finally done. And I couldn't be happier; for all of us.