ᴾʰᵒᵇᵒᵖʰᵒᵇⁱᵃ [ᴶᵃˢᵒⁿ ᴳʳᵃᶜᵉ]

xix.

Aza's eyes burst open, and her arm reached up and automatically hit whatever was touching her. Water spewed from her mouth, and Percy scuttled back on the floor, rubbing his forehead. He made a face at her and rolled his eyes, "That teaches me for saving your life."

    Before she could respond, Jason threw his arms around her, burying his face in the crook of her neck - she was zapped so hard her whole body tingled and sparked. She awkwardly patted his back, her cheeks burning, and she avoided Percy and Piper's eyes. When Jason pulled away, Percy reached forward and patted her arm, "In case you're wondering, that was clean water in your lungs."

    "Thanks, Perce," Aza said. "What happened? The water drained."

    "Piper was a hero," Jason smiled at the daughter of Aphrodite, "She saved us."

    "Yes she did," a voice echoed through the chamber. The niches glowed, and nine figures appeared, but they were no longer withered. The nymphs were young and beautiful, dressed in shimmering blue gowns. They had glossy black curls pinned up with silver and gold brooches, their eyes gentle shades of blue and green. Eight of them dissolved into vapor and floated upwards, but the nymph in the center remained.

    Hagno smiled, "I did not think such selflessness existed in mortals... especially in demigods. No offense."

    Percy got to his feet and pulled Aza to hers, "How could we take offense? You just tried to drown us and suck out our lives."

    Hagno winced and shook her head. She finally looked like the nymphs that Aza could think of; she would look right at place at Camp. "Sorry about that. I was not myself. But you have reminded me of the sun and the rain and the streams in the meadows. Percy and Jason, thanks to you, I remembered the sea and the sky. I am cleansed. And Aza-Everett, you showed the righteousness of heroes, the willingness to self sacrifice. That your powers did not fall into the wrong hands. But mostly, thanks to Piper - she shared something even better than clear running water."

    Hagno turned to the daughter of Aphrodite, "You have a good nature, Piper. And I'm a nature spirit. I know what I'm talking about."

    The nymph pointed to the other side of the room, and the stairs to the surface reappeared. Directly underneath, a circular opening shimmered into existence like a sewer pipe, just big enough to crawl through. Hagno offered, "You may return to the surface. Or, if you insist, you may follow the waterway to the giants. But choose quickly, because both doors will fade soon after I am gone. That pipe connects to the old aqueduct line, which feeds both this nymphaeum and the hypogeum that the giants call home."

    "Ugh," Percy rubbed his temples, "Please, no more complicated words."

    "Oh, home is not a complicated word," Hagno said sincerely, "I thought it was, but now you have unbound us from this place. My sisters have gone to seek new homes - a mountain stream, perhaps, or a lake in a meadow. I will follow them. I cannot wait to see the forest and the grasslands again, and the clear running water."

    "Uh," Percy said nervously, glancing back at Aza. "things have changed up above in the last few thousand years."

    "Nonsense," Hagno waved a hand in the air, "How bad could it be? Pan would not allow nature to become tainted. I can't wait to see him, in fact."

    Aza and Percy glanced at each other, again and both shook their heads subtly to keep the other silent. Instead, Aza offered a small smile, "I hope you find someplace nice, Hagno."

    The nymph smiled one last time before vaporizing. Briefly, the nymphaeum glowed with soft light, like a full moon. Aza smelled spices and blooming roses, and she heard distant music and party chatter. Jason nervously asked, "What is that?"