Dancing with Death

An Audience with the King

She stood on a hill surrounded by crumbling temples, a ravaged landscape sprawled out below.

"Did you really think I'd let you rest?" A calm sleepy voice echoed across the burning fields.

She clenched her fists. "What do you want, Gaia? Why me?"

The Earth goddess chuckled. "I have my reasons. I don't have to reveal them to you." Her presence seemed to move like the wind. "I just wanted to check in. You've recalled some of your memories."

"So what if I have?" She spoke towards where she thought the voice was coming from.

Gaia sighed. "Were you not listening? I said I didn't need you until you know who you are." Her voice sounded directly in her ear. "Your memories are a part of that."

"Part of it." She challenged.

Gaia's presence shifted again. "Oh, your identity is more complicated than other half-bloods. Getting your memories back is only half the battle."

"What's the other half?" She urged.

Gaia laughed. "I wouldn't want to spoil the fun. This is too amusing, watching you little heroes run around like you can actually stop me." She chuckled as if the thought were too ludicrous to even consider. "Soon, you'll see." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Your quest is hopeless. I will rise... and I will destroy everything you love."

Something forced her to look at the decimated camp, her home. Everything was in ruins as if it'd happened decades ago, but the fires still burned, eating away at what was left. She could make out bodies scattered through wreckage - armored soldiers, panicked senators, mothers still holding their children.

She dropped to her knees, suppressed sobs shaking her body. She hugged her stomach, fighting back the nausea, as tears welled in her eyes.

"This is the fate of those who cross me." Gaia's voice spoke triumphantly over the carnage. "Pick your side carefully, hero." She spat the name as if it were the worst insult in the world. Then, her presence vanished, leaving her victim in the rubble and the flames.

Eliza jolted awake in a cold sweat. Her heart was racing, threatening to burst out of her chest. Her mind flooded with the horrific images of her dream. She felt like she was choking on smoke, unable to breathe.

She looked around the living room. Everyone else was asleep. There was no one to comfort her, to tell her everything would be okay. As much as she felt the words were useless, she still liked hearing them. It meant someone was there, that they cared enough to try. But she was alone. She was always alone.

Hiking her knees up close to her chest, she wrapped her arms so tightly around her legs she could almost feel the circulation slow to a stop. She couldn't focus on anything around her. There was nothing except the pain, the fear, the emptiness.

Her thoughts were at war. She wanted her memories back, but she didn't want to give Gaia a reason to use her. She refused to be the Earth goddess' puppet, even if it meant suppressing her memories.

Jason finally shifted and sat up, bleary eyed. Leo and Piper followed.

Leo surveyed the room. "Woah." That's when Eliza noticed what he was talking about. The whole room was coated in gold - floor, ceiling, curtains, even the couches.

"That's... weird." Piper examined the room in awe.

Jason looked at Eliza and his expression fell. "What's wrong?"

Eliza didn't think he meant for the others to hear him, but they did. All eyes turned to her. "Nothing." She buried her chin in her knees.

"Right." Jason stood and plopped down on the couch next to her. "Like I'd believe that with the way your sitting."

Eliza released her death grip on her knees and let her legs fall to the floor. "Really. It's nothing. I'm fine."

He raised an eyebrow, but didn't get the chance to respond.

A man in a completely golden outfit strode into the room with a young man behind him.

"What's this?" The man paused when he saw the half-bloods. "Visitors."

"I'll gladly be rid of them, your Majesty." The young man reached for his sword.

The man waved it away. "That's no way to treat a guest." He faced his visitors. "Welcome to my humble abode. I'm..."

"King Midas." Eliza finished.

Midas nodded. "Hmm... girl knows her history."

Eliza shrugged. "I make it a goal to learn as much relative information as I can. You happen to fall into that category, your majesty."

He chuckled. "I suppose I should count myself lucky then, to be studied by such an impressive mind as yours."

Eliza didn't look amused. "And now a piece of relative information for you, your majesty." She crossed her arms. "I don't respond to flattery."

"So I see." The king turned his attention to his other guests.

Eliza didn't pay much attention to the conversation. It wasn't exactly riveting. King Midas obviously didn't know when to shut up. He caught her attention when he mentioned his "patron." Medea had used the same term shortly before trying to kill them.

"I'll give you a choice, heroes." The king lounged in his golden chair. "You can either join my collection," he gestured to the golden statues around the room. "or you can face my son." He indicated the fierce-looking young man beside him.

Jason was at loss of what to say.

In a flash, Midas lunged from his chair and touched Piper and Leo. The two instantly froze, encased in solid gold.

He turned on Jason. "Tick. Tock. Half-blood."

Jason was still struggling against his tongue.

Midas, growing impatient, moved towards Jason.

"No!" Eliza jumped in front of her only remaining friend and Midas' hand landed solidly against her chest.

A cold stiff feeling blossomed at the base of her neck and spread through her body, carrying the gold with it. Her legs became too heavy to move and her fingers were frozen in place. She couldn't even turn her head to look at Jason. The last thing she saw was Midas' cruel smirk.