Ataraxia [BTS au | Heroes of Olympus]

22

Jungkook

He grabbed the rope, Taehyung threw his way. Argo II was above him now, the other end of the rope leading to the ship. He quickly made a noose, and fastened it around the giant's scaly dragon foot.

"Kill—uh—you—uh..." Alcyoneus muttered. Jungkook ran to the giant's head, picked up the shield he left behind and slammed it into the giant's nose. The giant said, "Urgg."

"We need to drag this guy inland, as fast and far as we can." He yelled to Taehyung who hovered in air above him.

"Okay!" Taehyung shouted back. He cursed. How could he have forgotten? He had seen Jimin surrounded by a whirlwind not long ago, fighting through the ghosts.

Through the ruins of the camp, now he saw Jimin with his back to the edge of the cliff. His hurricane was gone, as he swung his sword killing the ghosts.

"Jimin!" He yelled. Jimin didn't hear him. Jin and Namjoon were trying to get to him but they were still very far away. He watched as Jimin slammed his sword into the ice, behind him a huge wave of water rising and as the water hit the ice, it crashed down. The edge of the glacier peeled away- carrying ghosts and Jimin Park over the edge.

He was so stunned that he didn't realise Taehyung landing next to him, yelling his name a dozen times.

"Jimin." He whispered.

"He'll be fine. He's the son of Poseidon. He'll be okay." Taehyung tried though it sounded like he was trying to convince himself. "Go! Yoongi is taking Alcyoneus 10 mile due north to Canada. You need to go. I'll- I'll go look if he's okay. " Taehyung squeezed his shoulder and rose again. "Go! You need to be fast." The giant has started muttering. And Taehyung was gone.

He climbed onto the giant's chest and Argo II took off, flying across the ice fast, dragging Alcyoneus like the world's ugliest sled.

It was a short trip. He didn't have to knock out Alcyoneus too many times, because the giant's head kept bouncing and hitting the ice. As they raced along, the half-conscious Golden Boy mumbled a tune that sounded like "Jingle Bells."

Jimin ...he swallowed down his fear. Jimin had gone over the side of the glacier to save them.He remembered his dream of someone drowning.

No. He refused to believe Jimin was dead. They hadn't come all this way just to lose one of them. He believed Taehyung would find him or else he himself would—but first they had to deal with Alcyoneus.

He visualized the map he had seen on Yoongi's monitor. He knew roughly where they were going, but there were no signs or markers on top of the glacier.

Finally Argo II zoomed between two mountains into a valley of ice and rocks, like a massive bowl of frozen milk with bits of Cocoa Puffs. The giant's golden skin paled as if it were turning to brass. He felt a subtle vibration in his own body, like a tuning fork pressed against his sternum.He knew he'd crossed into friendly territory.

Yoongi must have known it too because the ship veered to one side and lurched to a stop. Yoongi cut the rope, and Alcyoneus went skidding past. He leaped off just before the giant slammed into a boulder.

Immediately Alcyoneus jumped to his feet. "What? Where? Who?"

His nose was bent in an odd direction. His wounds from the Stygian Iron sword had not yet healed, his golden skin had lost some of its luster. He looked around for his iron staff, which was still back at Hubbard Glacier. Then he gave up and pounded the nearest boulder to pieces with his fist.

"You dare take me for a sleigh ride?" He tensed and sniffed the air. "That smell...like snuffed-out souls. Thanatos is free, eh? Bah! It doesn't matter. Gaea still controls the Doors of Death. Now, why have you brought me here, son of Hades?"

"To kill you," Jungkook said, already tired of saying too many words. "Next question?"

The giant's eyes narrowed. "Do you think you have the strength to face me in one-on-one combat?"

Yoongi yelled from the ship "How about two on one?"

He charged forward and slashed his sword across the back of the giant's calf.Black oil spouted from the wound. Alcyoneus stumbled. "You can't kill me, Thanatos or no!"

He rushed in, slashed his other leg, and raced away before he could regain his balance."Stop that!" Alcyoneus shouted. "This is Alaska. I am immortal in my homeland!"

"Actually," Yoongi said from the ship, "I have some bad news about that. We crossed the border a few hundred yards back. You're not in Alaska anymore. Can't you feel it, Al? You want to get to Alaska, you have to go through me."

Slowly, understanding dawned in the giant's eyes. He looked down incredulously at his wounded legs. Oil still poured from his calves, turning the ice black.

"Impossible!" the giant bellowed. "I'll—I'll—Gah!"

Alcyoneus charged forward, determined to reach the international boundary. But Yoongi was faster. A celestial bronze cannon ball shot out from the ship slamming onto the giant . The giant staggered sideways. Another cannon ball and Alcyoneus flew backward and landed spread-eagled on the ice.

"You—can't—kill me," Alcyoneus growled. "You can't—"

He walked up to the giant, whose oily wounds were steaming. The gems fell out of his hair and sizzled in the snow. His golden skin began to corrode, breaking into chunks.

He looked into the giant's seething eyes. "Here's a tip, Alcyoneus. Next time you choose the biggest state for your home, don't set up base in the part that's only ten miles wide. Welcome to Canada, idiot."

His sword came down on the giant's neck. Alcyoneus dissolved into a pile of very expensive rocks.

For a while he stood, watching the remains of the giant melt into the ice. Yoongi lowered the ship and stepped near him.Before he could say anything, a voice echoed across the valley.

You haven't won.

The same voice he heard in his dreams. He looked up. Shadows were shifting across the nearest mountain, forming the face of a sleeping woman.

You will never reach home in time, taunted the voice of Gaea. There will be destruction and you cannot stop it.

The mountain rumbled as if the whole earth were laughing. The shadows disappeared.

He and Yoongi looked at each other. Neither said a word. They boarded Argo II and sped towards the Glacier Bay.