Zoe Bianca Jackson - where the sea and moon embrace

Chapter 2

"Took you long enough." Zeus huffed. 

Olympus was magnificent as always, with tall gilded throne and marble floors, all glowing with golden light, in stark contrast with the grumpy gods seated on them. Zeus's face was as dark as a thundercloud. Hera was eying him in concern, Demeter stress-eating cereal, Aphrodite checking her reflection in the mirror, Ares staring at her, and Hephaestus looking at them both and grumbling. The usual. Except for a dark throne next to Poseidon's, where the god of death was sitting, taut as an arrow. What was happening? Why was he here?

"What is it Father?" Artemis asked, taking a seat. Percy sat down next to her, Zoe in his lap. 

Zeus was silent, so Athena spoke up, her grey eyes serious. "There's some bad news."

"No shit." Percy muttered. 

She glared at him. "I'm going to cut to the chase. Erebos has risen." 

Apollo choked. "What?" 

The room grew colder, and all the gods paled, except Percy and Zoe, who still looked clueless. 

"Who now?" Percy asked. 

"Who named him?" Zoe asked, feeling pity for whichever parents thought of a name like End.

Zeus glared at Percy. "Erebos, The Primordial of Darkness." 

"His name holds power." Athena warned. 

"I know!," he snapped, before his expression calmed. "Damn," Zoe thought. "Grandfather is on edge. He just yelled at his favorite child."

Poseidon frowned at him. "She is merely trying to counsel you. We all know you're in need of that."

"What did you just say?" 

Hades smiled for the first time. "For once, I agree with Poseidon."

Lightning crackled in the sky. 

Although the brothers had reconciled with each other during Artemis's wedding, tensions had been mounting since then, and they'd slipped back into their familiar pattern. Heck, maybe it was the wedding wine, and now they'd sobered up.

"Stop it!" Hera cried. "There is a chance the world as we know it will end, and you are bickering instead of coming to an actual solution." 

Zeus's expression darkened, but the lightning calmed. 

"My lord," Artemis said. "I propose that you travel to the Underworld yourself with Hades, so we can attempt to weaken his form."

Percy smiled at her. That's my girl.

The gods murmured assent. Some of them knew privately that it wouldn't help, but it wouldn't hurt to try.

Zeus opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Apollo coughed, green smoke billowing out of his mouth. 

"Rachel," he said. "She's made a prophecy."